Elsie Hillman Chair in Women & Politics
The Elsie Hillman Chair in Women and Politics was established by the The Hillman Foundation, Inc. in 1997 in order to honor the Pittsburgh, PA native and longtime political leader. The Chair serves as an inspiration and role model for the university community and citizens of Pennsylvania.
The purpose of the Chair is to bring nationally renowned political leaders, scholars, and activists to Chatham University and the Pittsburgh community to enrich the experiences of students and educate citizens about the role of women in the political process.
» Click to view past Elsie Hillman Chair in Women and Politics recipients
2013 Elsie Hillman Chair in Women & Politics: Senator Olympia J. Snowe
Olympia Snowe's dedicated work in the U.S. Senate has garnered her nationwide recognition as a leading policymaker in Washington. In 2005, she was named the 54th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes magazine. In 2006, Time magazine named her one of the top ten U.S. Senators.
With her election in 1994, Former Senator Olympia J. Snowe became only the second woman Senator in history to represent Maine. In November 2006, she was re-elected to a third six year term in the United States Senate with 74 percent of the vote.
Before her election to the Senate, Olympia Snowe represented Maine's Second Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives for sixteen years. Senator Snowe is only the fourth woman in history to be elected to both houses of Congress and the first woman in American history to serve in both houses of a state legislature and both houses of Congress.
When first elected to Congress in 1978, at the age of 31, Olympia Snowe was the youngest Republican woman, and the first Greek-American woman, ever elected to Congress.
*Senator Snowe will give a public lecture on April 15, 2013 at 6:00 pm in the Campbell Memorial Chapel.
Elsie Hillman
Mrs. Hillman has served as a principal member of the Republican National Committee for more than 20 years. She served as Republican National Committeewoman from Pennsylvania from 1975 to 1996, and on the Republican State Committee's Leadership Committee from 1974 to 1996. Prior to serving on the State and National party committees, Mrs. Hillman was one of the first women elected to chair an urban county Republican Committee when she served as County Chairman of the Allegheny County Republican Committee from 1967 to 1970. She has also chaired several statewide campaigns for a number of Republican leaders including former Senator John Heinz, Governors Dick Thornburgh and Tom Ridge among many others.
Through her political work, Mrs. Hillman began to realize how few women were active in Pennsylvania politics. Gender equity in politics became a passion for Mrs. Hillman, culminating in two organizations she helped create and establish: The Pennsylvania Center for Women and Politics at Chatham University and Run Baby Run.
In 1998, the Hillman Foundation, Inc. and the Maurice Falk Medical Foundation established the Pennsylvania Center for Women and Politics at Chatham University. In 2003, the Center and the Elsie Hillman Chair in Women and Politics were reconceived and endowed solely by the generosity of the Hillman Foundation. The mission of the Center directly reflects Mrs. Hillman's engagement in the civic sphere, educating and empowering women of all ages about their political potential and impact.
A few years later in 2006 Mrs. Hillman established Run Baby Run, a non-partisan political action committee (PAC). The mission of the PAC is to help change the face of "Old Boy Politics" in Harrisburg and Western Pennsylvania by helping fund and elect women to Pennsylvania's House and Senate. Mrs. Hillman Co-Chaired the PAC because she knew gender equity in the PA State House wouldn't happen by accident, and that it was long overdue. Both organizations show the strong commitment Mrs. Hillman has to changing the face of politics in Pennsylvania by increasing the involvement of women in politics.
Mrs. Hillman attended the Ellis School, graduated from the Ethel Walker School, studied at Westminster Choir College, and has been awarded nine honorary degrees in recognition of her outstanding contributions to society. The charitable contributions of Mrs. Hillman and her husband, Henry, have had tremendous impact in Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania. Some of the organizations benefiting from their involvement include University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and Hillman Cancer Center, Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Symphony Society, the Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, the White House Endowment Fund, Shadyside Hospital Foundation, the Urban League of Pittsburgh, and the University of Pittsburgh.
