Recently, there has been major news in the US higher education circle: former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will join Columbia University as a professor next month!
It is reported that Hillary will serve as a Professor of Practice at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) and as a leading researcher at the Columbia World Projects (CWP).
Couldn't Become President, So Becomes a Professor?
In addition to being a former New York Senator, former Secretary of State, and former First Lady, Hillary now adds a new title: Columbia professor.
Hillary will be responsible for key work at SIPA, convening outstanding policy thinkers from around the world to develop innovative policy solutions. Additionally, she will participate in the Columbia World Projects, exploring how to advance global democracy and promote women's rights.
Professor Hillary is expected to officially start teaching in the fall of 2023, so Columbia students in Fall 2023 can look forward to it.
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Hillary graduated from Wellesley College, a top liberal arts college, and Yale Law School, and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by Columbia in 2022.
Hillary stated, "I am honored to join Columbia. Columbia aims to cultivate the next generation of political leaders, turning insights into impact and addressing pressing global challenges. I look forward to contributing to this effort."
Keren Yarhi-Milo, Dean of SIPA, said, "Hillary is an outstanding leader who has been at the forefront of major global challenges—from the struggle for global democracy, to advocating for women's rights, to her steadfast defense of marginalized communities worldwide."
However, this is not Hillary's first time holding a university position. She became the 11th Chancellor of Queen's University Belfast in 2021, also the first female chancellor in the university's history.
Hillary is not the only one who turned to professorship after leaving politics; former British Prime Minister David Cameron also holds a teaching position at NYU Abu Dhabi.
CheersYou（清柚教育） will now highlight other big-name celebrities who have taken up teaching or guest positions at UK and US universities.
Big-Name Celebrities at UK and US Universities
David Cameron - NYU
Last December, former British Prime Minister David Cameron accepted a teaching position at NYU Abu Dhabi.
This month, Cameron will teach a three-week course on politics in chaotic times, covering topics such as immigration and the invasion of Ukraine.
The course is open to all NYU Abu Dhabi students, as well as full-time undergraduates from other campuses.
Daniel Wu - Parsons
Daniel Wu had a dream collaboration with Parsons School of Design.
Parsons' interior design program once invited Daniel Wu for an online lecture titled "A Conversation with Actor and Director Daniel Wu: What I Learned in Design School," where he shared how studying architecture influenced his acting career.
Yes, you read that right. Daniel Wu was an outstanding student in architecture at the University of Oregon.
In this public lecture, he actively interacted with students, sharing his journey from architecture to acting and how he applied design principles to the film and television industry, including character development, production, and set design.
As they say, the heartthrob is indeed a heartthrob. This class had perfect attendance, with everyone waiting early in the online classroom. If Daniel could teach regularly, even the toughest architecture program would be packed.
Matthew McConaughey - UT Austin
Well-known Hollywood actor Matthew McConaughey has been a full-time professor at UT Austin's Moody College of Communication since 2019.
His notable works include "The Wolf of Wall Street" and "Interstellar," and he won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the drama "Dallas Buyers Club."
Matthew McConaughey is an alumnus of the University of Texas. In 2015, he returned to his alma mater as a guest lecturer for a co-taught course, "Advanced Production: From Script to Screen," during which he shared behind-the-scenes stories of his film "The Free State of Jones."
Since 2019, Matthew McConaughey officially became a full-time professor at UT Austin.
Spike Lee - NYU
Spike Lee is an NYU alumnus and a renowned American filmmaker, director, screenwriter, and actor, nominated for five Academy Awards.
He previously taught at Harvard University and currently serves as a professor at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, a position he has held for 30 years.
Brian Cox - University of Manchester
Brian Cox is a true crossover talent. He was the keyboardist for the 1990s British pop band D:Ream and the science presenter for the BBC's popular show "Stargazing Live."
At the same time, Brian Cox is a professor at the University of Manchester, a particle physicist, a Fellow of the Royal Society, and an OBE recipient. He participated in the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider, a genuine heavyweight in the physics world.
In addition to the celebrities mentioned above, Angelina Jolie once served as a visiting professor at LSE:
James Franco also has teaching experience at universities such as Columbia, NYU, and UCLA.
Indeed, when studying in the UK or US, the chances of encountering famous professors are quite high. For example, NYU's J-Term often features lectures by renowned scholars, writers, artists, and other celebrities. Doesn't that make your offer even more appealing?
A new application season has begun. Plan early, apply early, and get your offer early. You could be the next to meet a celebrity in the academic hall!
