Hillary Rodham Clinton to address academic leaders in St Andrews

Former United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will visit Scotland next month to take part in an academic celebration marking the 600th anniversary of the founding of the University of St Andrews.

Secretary Clinton will address an audience of global academic leaders, university faculty and students in Younger Hall, St Andrews on Friday 13 September 2013 and will be conferred with a degree of Doctor of Laws by the university, founded in 1413.

Secretary Clinton is expected to give an eve-of-summit address when she will be awarded an Honorary Degree alongside other international scholars and thinkers.

St Andrews will honour the 67th Secretary of State and former First Lady in recognition of her roles as politician, diplomat and champion of education, human rights, democracy, civil society, and opportunities for women and girls around the world.

The ancient institution has close and historic ties to the United States. Three of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence – Benjamin Franklin, James Wilson and John Witherspoon – studied at or held degrees from St Andrews.

Following Secretary Clinton’s remarks on Friday, St Andrews will continue to mark its 600th anniversary with a gathering of leading minds to debate the future of universities at a summit on Saturday September 14th.

The university is now one of the world’s top 20 destinations for international students (QS University World Rankings 2012) and almost a fifth of its 6,000 undergraduates are from North America.

St Andrews Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Louise Richardson said:

“We are absolutely delighted that Secretary Clinton will join us and other distinguished guests from around the world as we celebrate 600 years of university education in St Andrews.

“In addition to traditional celebrations, we will mark the occasion by doing what universities do best, bringing creative and independent thinkers together to ask difficult questions and exchange novel ideas as we explore the role of universities in the centuries to come.

“As one of the most influential women in the world, Hillary Clinton, as stateswoman, senator, and policymaker never shied away from tackling difficult questions, working to make the world a better place, inspiring others, speaking out for the voiceless and striving ever to excel. We are honoured that she will participate in our celebrations.”

Hillary Rodham Clinton served as the 67th Secretary of State of the United States from 21 January 2009 until 1 February 2013, after nearly four decades in public service as an advocate, attorney, First Lady, and Senator.

As First Lady, Hillary Clinton advocated for health care reform and led successful bipartisan efforts to improve the adoption and foster care systems, reduce teen pregnancy, and provide health care to millions of children through the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

In 2000, Clinton made history as the first First Lady elected to the United States Senate.  She worked across party lines to expand economic opportunity and access to quality, affordable health care, including for wounded service members, veterans and members of the National Guard and Reserves. After September 11, 2001, she advocated for rebuilding New York and addressing the health needs of first responders who risked their lives at Ground Zero.

In 2007 and 2008, Clinton made her historic campaign for President, winning 18 million votes, and more primaries and delegates than any woman had before.

In her four years as Secretary of State, Clinton played a central role in restoring America’s standing in the world and strengthening its global leadership.  Her “smart power” approach to foreign policy elevated American diplomacy and development and repositioned them for the 21st century – with new tools, technologies, and partners, including the private sector and civil society around the world.

As America’s chief diplomat and the President’s principal foreign policy adviser, Clinton spearheaded progress on many of the USA’s greatest national security challenges, from reasserting the United States as a Pacific power to imposing crippling sanctions on Iran and North Korea to responding to the challenges and opportunities of the Arab Awakening to negotiating a ceasefire in the Middle East.  She pushed the frontiers of human rights and demonstrated that giving women the opportunity to participate fully is vital to security, stability, and prosperity.

Notes to Editors

The Graduation Ceremony starts at 2.30pm BST on Friday 13 September 2013 at Younger Hall, North Street, St Andrews. Secretary Clinton’s address will begin at approximately 17.05pm.

The ceremony will be streamed live via www.st-andrews.ac.uk

After the ceremony, the platform party, academic guests and members of University Senate will process along North Street to St Salvator’s Quadrangle.

Media interested in attending this event are asked to contact the University of St Andrews Press Office, [email protected], for accreditation.

www.st-andrews.ac.uk/600/events/celebration

Issued by the University of St Andrews

For further information please contact:

Niall Scott, Director of Communications

Emma Shea, Communications Manager

[email protected], tel +44 1334 462530.