UMass Amherst Alumni Association
News
Alumni Profile Madeleine Kunin '56, '85H
Madeleine May Kunin '56, '85LLD is a woman of many “firsts”. She was the first woman elected to a legislative position in Vermont, the first woman to be appointed Chairwoman of the Vermont Appropriations Committee, the first female governor of Vermont, and the first woman in United States history to be elected governor three times. She documents her incredible political journey, along with the stories of other women in politics in a new book, Pearls, Politics and Power, due to be released in April 2008.
Born in Zurich, Switzerland, Kunin came to the United States as a child. She received a bachelor’s degree in history from UMass Amherst in 1956 and went on to earn a master’s degree from the Columbia University School of Journalism and another from the University of Vermont in English literature. She was awarded a doctorate of laws from UMass Amherst in 1985.
Kunin, a die-hard Democrat, was elected to the first of three terms as governor in 1985. During her administration, she made many strides in environmental, education, and children’s issues. In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed Kunin to be deputy secretary of the US Department of Education. In this role, Kunin was key in establishing a more efficient system of managing student loans, initiated an Office of Educational Technology, and worked on a series of legislative acts that included the Goals 2000: Educate America Act and the Safe and Drug-Free Schools Act. She served here until 1996, when President Clinton then appointed her US Ambassador to Switzerland.
Currently, Kunin is a Marsh Scholar Professor-at-Large at the University of Vermont in Burlington where she lectures in a number of departments, including History and Women's Studies. While teaching a seminar on Women, Politics, and Leadership, she realized that young women were very interested in politics, but unsure how to get started. "I thought it would be a good idea to demystify the process by having other women tell their stories," said Kunin.
Her latest book, Pearls, Politics and Power, addresses this question and is a call to political engagement and leadership from the women of America. "I felt the book shouldn’t just be in my voice," noted Kunin, "there should be a diversity of experiences, and that’s how I came to speak with about 100 women in leadership positions."
Through her conversations with elected women at local, state, and national levels Kunin addresses many issues: What difference do women make? What is the worst part of politics, and what is the best part? What inspired these women to run, and how did they prepare themselves for public life? How did they raise money, protect their families' privacy, deal with criticism and attack ads, and work with the “good ole boys”?
The book's topic is incredibly timely, given Senator Hillary Clinton's bid for the president's office. "Never before in our history have we had a serious qualified woman running for president. Twenty-one women have run for the office and they are all footnotes. The fact that she has won many primaries and is considered strong enough to be commander in chief is historic. This is turning out to be a very extraordinary race," said Kunin.
The Alumni Association proudly presents a speaking engagement and book signing with Madeleine Kunin on May 1, 2008 in Boston, MA. Come join fellow alumni to hear her inspirational presentation on women, politics, and leadership, followed by a question-and-answer period and book signing.
By Elena Lamontagne
3/10/08
