Hillary Rodham Clinton to speak at commencement

By Craig Chamberlain

First lady Hillary Rodham Clinton will be the featured speaker at the
123rd commencement of the UI.

Clinton, an accomplished lawyer, public servant and children's advocate,
will speak at ceremonies on May 15 at the UI Assembly Hall. Clinton, who
also served recently as the chair of the President's Task Force on National
Health Care Reform, will receive an honorary degree of doctor of laws.

"We're delighted that Mrs. Clinton can take part in our commencement
ceremonies," Chancellor Michael Aiken said. "Commencement is an important
time for us, for our graduates and for their families. Mrs. Clinton's
participation in these ceremonies will surely help make this an
unforgettable day."

It is not yet clear whether Clinton will be able to speak at both the
morning and afternoon ceremonies. Each student participating in
commencement will be limited to three tickets in order to accommodate the
expected increase in attendance. Students will be notified if additional
tickets become available.

A native of Park Ridge, Clinton graduated with high honors from Wellesley
College in 1969 and earned a doctor of laws degree from Yale University in
1973. She began her legal career that year as a staff attorney for the
Children's Defense Fund, a Washington-based children's advocacy group.

In 1974, Clinton became a special counsel for the U.S. House of
Representatives Judiciary Committee, as part of its impeachment inquiry
staff, and from 1974 to 1977 was on the law faculty at the University
of Arkansas.

She joined the Rose law firm in Little Rock in 1977 and was a partner there
for 15 years. In 1988 and 1991, she was named by the National Law Journal
as one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America. She also was the
first chair of the American Bar Association Commission on Women in the
Profession, from 1987 to 1991.

As the first lady of Arkansas during the 1980s, Clinton chaired a state
education standards committee and founded Arkansas Advocates for Children
and Families.