Hillary Clinton to speak at Penn on October 22

A "random" -- and sparse -- sampling of the student body will be invited to Philadelphia's second Clinton visit this month, as First Lady Hillary Clinton arrives for a speech on campus October 22. Two weeks after her husband joins the mayor for a Democratic National Convention fundraising event at the CoreStates Center, Clinton will grace the University's Zellerbach Theatre for a speech to approximately 350 Penn students, according to Connaissance Co-Chairperson Carter Caldwell, a College junior. While not in charge of the affair, Connaissance -- the student group handling Wednesday's James Earl Jones speech -- is overseeing the distribution of tickets set aside for the student population. "Connaissance is essentially playing a consultant role," Caldwell explained. "We had experience in distributing tickets? in a manner that will allow for a good cross-section of the University to be present." He added that the group will distribute tickets separate from those already earmarked for student leaders chosen by the Office of Student Life. Clinton's speech will kick off a three-day celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Trustees' Council of Penn Women, a self-professed "old-girls network" of 139 high-profile Penn alumnae. The celebration will also feature a speech October 24 by ABC News special correspondent Cokie Roberts. Claiming to be the "first organization of its kind," the council uses its clout to solicit both involvement and funds from alumnae and to advocate women's issues. And aside from creating the PENNQuest pre-orientation program and "supporting multicultured awareness programs," the council has been devoted entirely to issues concerning Penn women -- both in school and in the real world. Additionally, the council funds women organizations and studies, most recently supporting the Kappa Delta Phi Asian sorority for its community service. The council also hosts an annual career dinner for junior women, and brought a speaker on eating disorders to campus in 1995. And on October 22, it will bring one of the country's most powerful women to campus as the keynote speaker for their anniversary celebration and as the recipient of the Beacon Award, an accolade based on a recipient's involvement in women's issues. This is neither the first time Clinton has been honored by the University nor the first time she has given a speech to the student body. In 1993, the first lady presented the commencement address and was given an honorary degree. For Roberts, the 10th anniversary celebration is not her first visit to campus, either. Roberts -- the college roommate of former University Secretary Barbara Stevens -- spoke in 1993 as well, and visited campus occasionally as a personal friend of former University President Sheldon Hackney. But while Roberts' October 24 breakfast speech at the Palladium will be reserved to council members and guests, many events throughout the three days will be open to students. Along with the annual junior women's career dinner, the celebration will include a "luminary panel" October 24 featuring Christine James-Brown, the president of the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania; 1974 College for Women graduate Sylvia Rhone, the CEO of Elektra Entertainment Group and Pennsylvania Senator Allyson Schwartz. A response panel moderated by last year's career dinner keynote speaker Mary Hadar, a 1965 College for Women graduate and a Washington Post editor, will discuss future "women trailblazers." And -- appropriately for the first Ivy League university to boast a female president -- Penn President Judith Rodin will speak in College Hall's room 200 on Thursday afternoon.

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