Mrs. Clinton becomes the first women to hold the position
Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) is proud to introduce Hillary Clinton as the new Chancellor. She is the University’s 11th chancellor and the first woman to take up the post. Announced on Thursday where Mrs. Clinton in a statement said that it was a “great privilege” to become the chancellor of QUB. The Former US Secretary of State previously received an honorary doctorate degree from Queen’s in 2018.
Mrs. Clinton takes up her role immediately and will serve for a period of five years. She succeeds Dr. Tom Moran – who died last year. While the role of chancellor is mainly a ceremonial one, securing Mrs. Clinton will be performing as a coup for Queen’s. She will also act as an advisor to the vice-chancellor Prof Ian Greer and senior management as part of it.
The chancellor often presides at most graduation ceremonies and will be an ambassador for the university abroad.
Mrs. Clinton accepted the position and said: “It is a great privilege to become the Chancellor of Queen’s University, a place I have a great fondness for and have grown a strong relationship with over the years.”
Her connection to Northern Ireland is way back over two decades. She visited as First Lady in November 1995 with her husband, President Bill Clinton.
President Clinton was the first serving US president to visit Northern Ireland. Since then, Mrs. Clinton has been a regular visitor to the country.
The chair of the QUB senate – the university’s governing body – Mr. Stephen Prenter said he was delighted that she was the new chancellor.
Stephen Prenter, pro-chancellor and chair of the University’s governing body, said: “I am delighted that Queen’s has chosen Hillary Clinton to be its new Chancellor.” “Secretary Clinton has made a considerable contribution to Northern Ireland and as an internationally recognized leader will be an incredible advocate for Queen’s and an inspirational role model for the Queen’s community,” he said.
She was appointed as US Secretary of State by President Barack Obama in 2009, serving for four years until stepping down in 2013.
However, after winning the Democratic nomination for the White House Mrs. Clinton lost the 2016 Presidential election against the Republican Party candidate Donald Trump.
Mrs. Clinton recently told the BBC that she was “under enormous pressure” to challenge President Donald Trump in next year’s election.