Chelsea Clinton to promote interfaith work at NYU

c. 2013 USA Today

WASHINGTON (RNS) Chelsea Clinton is wearing a new professional hat, one that will take her into a religious direction.

The former first daughter is now the co-founder and co-chairwoman of New York University’s Of Many Institute, a program for “multifaith” education. Its website says the institute “supports a new generation of religious and civic leaders who, deeply rooted in their own religious and spiritual traditions, reach across faith boundaries to solve social problems together.”

Clinton’s new job was reported first by the New York Post. There was no press release or big announcement, the newspaper reported — just her bio downloaded onto the program’s website.

Clinton is Christian and her husband, Marc Mezvinsky, is Jewish. She told Time magazine last year that she was interested in helping to create, support and sustain multifaith leadership.

“I find that really fascinating and fantastic … it’s something that’s quite close to home,” Clinton said in September. “It’s something that I personally care a lot about and I’m committed to helping people who are really doing the work make it happen.”

Clinton has been taking a more active role at the Clinton Global Initiative, which was founded by her father, former President Bill Clinton. She also works as a special correspondent for NBC News and has taught at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.

Since 2010, Clinton has been affiliated with NYU as assistant vice provost for the Global Network University.