Hillary Clinton Essay, Research Paper

Hillary Rodham Clinton arrived at

the White House after serving as First Lady of Arkansas

for 12 years. During that time she had managed many roles:

wife, mother, and homemaker; full-time partner in a law

firm;and chairwoman of an education commitee that set

public school standards in Arkansas. On many occasions

Hillary Clinton has spoken about the need "to find the right

balance in our lives. "For her, the elements of that balance

are family , work, and public service" Hillary Diane

Rodham was born in Chicago , Illinois, on October 26,

1947, daughter of Hugh and Dorothy Rodham. Her father

owned a fabric store, and her mother was a full-time

mother and homemaker. Mrs.Rodham encouraged Hillary

to go to colllege and pursue a profession, even thoughshe

had never done so herself. Hillary and her younger

brothers, Hugh and Tony, grew up in Park Ridge, Illinois ,

as a close -knit family. Her brothers played football , while

Hillary enjoyed tennis, swimming , ballet, softball, volleybal,

and skating. An excellent student, she was aslo a Girl Scout

and a member of the local Methodist youth group. She

entered Wellesley College in 1965. Graduating with

honors, she moved on to Yale Law school, where she

served on the board of editors of the Yale review of Law

and social action. While at Yale she developed her concern

for protecting the interests of childrenand families. it was

there, too, that she met Bill Clinton, a fellow student. In

1973 Hillary became a staff attorney for the Children’s

defense fund. A year later she was recruited by the

impeachement inquiry staff of the judiciary Commitee of the

house of representitives. Hillary left Washington and

"followed her heart to Arkansas," marrying Bill Clinton in

1975. the couple taught togetheron the law faculty of the

University of Arkansas in fayetteville. Their daughter,

chelsea, was born in 1980.