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Chelsea Clinton expecting first child

By WTOP Staff

WASHINGTON (AP) — Call it the year of the baby: Chelsea Clinton and her husband, Marc Mezvinsky, are expecting their first child later this year.

The 34-year-old daughter of former President Bill Clinton and ex-Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton made the announcement Thursday at the end of a Clinton Foundation event in New York on empowering girls.

There has been wide speculation about a future baby in the Clinton family. Chelsea Clinton said in an interview with Glamour magazine last year that she and her husband were hoping to start a family soon, calling 2014 “the year of the baby.”

Joined on stage by her mother, Chelsea Clinton told a group of young female students that she feels “all the better whether it’s a girl or a boy that she or he will grow up in a world with so many strong female leaders.”

“I just hope I will be as good a mom to my child and hopefully children as my mom was to me,” she said.

The former first lady, secretary of state and New York senator, who is considering another presidential campaign in 2016, said she was “really excited” about becoming a grandmother.

“It makes this work even more important because we’ve made a lot of progress,” Clinton said. “I want to see us keep moving and certainly for future generations as well so that maybe our grandchild will not have to be worried about some of the things that young women and young men are worried about today.”

She later added on Twitter: “My most exciting title yet: Grandmother-To-Be!”

The former president also expressed jubilation about the news on Twitter: “Excited to add a new line to my Twitter bio—grandfather-to-be! (at)HillaryClinton and I are so happy for Chelsea and Marc!”

Preparations for the new baby will coincide with Hillary Clinton’s deliberations over another campaign for the White House. Mrs. Clinton is set to release a book about her time at the State Department in June, followed by a book tour, and Democrats hope she will be a top surrogate for their candidates in the 2014 midterm elections.

The former secretary of state is expected to announce her decision later this year and polls show her as the leading contender for the Democratic Party’s nomination if she runs. If Clinton seeks the White House, her campaign would potentially coincide with her grandchild’s first two years.

After growing up in the public eye as a teenager in the White House, Chelsea Clinton graduated from Stanford University and Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health and worked in New York for a hedge fund and a management consulting firm.

She and Marc Mezvinsky, the son of two former members of Congress, were married in Rhinebeck, N.Y., in July 2010, and the former first daughter has balanced a number of work and interests, pursuing a doctorate from Oxford University, where her father was a Rhodes Scholar, while taking a leading role in her family’s foundation.

She serves as vice chair of the family foundation, which was renamed the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, and helps direct the organization’s humanitarian and philanthropic efforts around the globe. She also serves as a special correspondent for NBC News.

She has avoided commenting on her mother’s potential presidential campaign except to say that she’ll support her in whatever she does. But she would be a strong voice for her mother among young voters if the former secretary of state decides to seek the presidency.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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