I am a registered Republican. I have not yet voted in a Federal, State, or local election since I turned 18, but I am in fact a Republican (more moderate than conservative). After reading so much about Hillary Clinton over the years, I have come to the conclusion that she is in fact a brilliant, powerful, and amazing woman. My opinion is not a result of being in total agreement with her politics. All differences aside, I think she is the type of woman who should be revered for all that she has already accomplished and all that she will accomplish in the future. In my mind, Hillary Clinton is the total definition of “girl power.”

Why do I think this? Well, for starters, Hillary Clinton (formally known as Hillary Rodham Clinton) attended Wellesley College, where she earned her B.A. in political science and was the first student ever to deliver her class's commencement address. This commencement address was so impactful that it received a seven-minute standing ovation. She received her law degree from Yale University, which is where she met future President Bill Clinton. She interned at law firms that supported constitutional rights, civil liberties, and other radical causes.

Hillary Clinton was the first First Lady to have earned a postgraduate degree and to have had a successful professional career up until the time she and her husband entered the White House. She had offices both in the East and West Wings, and was closely involved with several White House operations. Many of her chosen appointees to the new administration filled both top-level and lower-level positions. All in all, she is considered to be the most “openly empowered” First Lady in American History, just behind Eleanor Roosevelt.

While in the White House, she headed up several different platforms, one of the biggest being Health Care, and she faced the many difficulties that come with implementing such policies. One of the biggest issues while in the White House was, of course, the Monica Lewinsky scandal. After the rumors were proved true, Hillary Clinton released a statement confirming that she was still committed to her marriage. Many people claim that she only stayed in the marriage because of her own desires and goals in the political world, but all I can say is that I admire her strength and poise in a situation where a struggle in her private life was made public.

In terms of her traditional First Lady duties, she initiated and founded the Save America’s Treasures program, which helped to raise funds to preserve and restore historical objects and sites. She was also head of the White House Millennium Council, which was in charge of discussions of future studies and helped to produce the very first live webcast from the White House.

Following Hillary Clinton’s years in the White House, she was elected as United States Senator from the state of New York in 2000 and was in office from 2001 to 2009. Following her time as Senator, she was appointed as the 67^th United States Secretary of State for the Obama administration and held office from January 21, 2009, until February 1, 2013. And, as everyone is most certainly aware, she will be running for the Democratic Party nomination for the 2016 presidential election.

Throughout her time as a public figure, Hillary Clinton has accomplished so many incredible things. Whether or not you like her or agree with her politics, there is no arguing with the fact that she is a ridiculously intelligent and hardworking person. She is an amazing role model for women, as she has helped to create the office on Violence Against Women and has an extensive history of being an activist on behalf of women and children. She helped lead the development of State Children’s Health Insurance Program, which helps to provide state support for children whose parents cannot afford to provide them with the proper healthcare coverage. In terms of her experience with foreign affairs, she is the most traveled Secretary of State to date. She oversaw free trade agreements with many of our allies including Panama, Columbia, and South Korea. She proved her sensible diplomacy by being a major proponent of bringing about a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, and she also helped with the human rights movement in Burma. That just barely scratches the surface of things Hillary Clinton has dealt with and achieved in her career.

All in all, there is an immense and lengthy list of all the things that Hillary Rodham Clinton has accomplished as a political figure. I have always admired her not just for being a great politician, but for simply being a strong, powerful, and wise woman who is able to connect with people. She is truly an inspiration, and no matter what the results are in the upcoming presidential election, I know that she will continue to achieve and inspire.