Patsy Matsu Takemoto Mink (Zhu Ben  matsu, Takemoto Matsu, December 6, 1927 - September 28, 2002) was an American lawyer and politician from the U.S. state of Hawaii. Mink was a third generation Japanese American and member of the Democratic Party. She also was the Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. Mink served in the U.S. House of Representatives for a total of 12 terms, representing Hawaii's first and second congressional districts.
Early years and education
Mink was born in Hamakua Poko on the island of Maui. She attended Maui High School and in her junior year won her first election to become student body president. The month before her election, Honolulu was attacked by Japan. As a consequence, most of the student body was uncomfortable with anything that was Japanese-oriented. In order to get elected, Mink had to overcome these hard feelings. Mink was the only female who had ever showed ambition for student office in the school's history, something that was unheard of at the time. She orchestrated a strategy of impressing the various cliques on campus, including the popular football team. Her coalition-building strategy worked and she won a close election. In 1944, Mink graduated from high school as class valedictorian.  Mink moved to Honolulu where she attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa with medical school and a career in medicine her ultimate goal. During her sophomore year, she was elected president of the Pre-Medical Students Club and was selected as a member of the varsity debate team. She spent one semester (from September 1946-January 1947) enrolled at Wilson College, a small women's college in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania before transferring to the University of Nebraska where she once again faced discrimination. The university had a long-standing racial segregation policy whereby students of color lived in different dormitories from the white students. This annoyed Mink, and she organized and created a coalition of students, parents, administrators, employees, alumni, sponsoring businesses and corporations. She was elected president of the Unaffiliated Students of the University of Nebraska, a "separate" student government for non-white students who were prevented from joining fraternities, sororities, and regular dormitories. Mink and her coalition successfully lobbied to end the university's segregation policies the same year.  After her successful fight against segregation at the University of Nebraska, Mink experienced a serious thyroid condition that required surgery and moved back to Honolulu to heal and finish her final year of college at the University of Hawaii. She earned bachelor's degrees in zoology and chemistry from the university. In 1948, none of the twenty medical schools to which she applied would accept women. A disappointed Mink decided the best way to force medical schools to accept women would be through the judicial process. Mink decided to go to law school.  Mink applied to the University of Chicago Law School. Unusually, the school had admitted women from its inception in 1902, and Mink attended law school with several other women. Mink obtained her Juris Doctor degree in 1951.

Q: Where did she go to school?
A: she attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa

Q: What did she major in?
A: she attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa with medical school and a career in medicine her ultimate goal.

Q: Did she finish her degree?
A: at the University of Hawaii. She earned bachelor's degrees in zoology and chemistry from the university.

Q: What happened to getting a degree in medicine?
A: In 1948, none of the twenty medical schools to which she applied would accept women.

Q: What did she do then?
A: Mink applied to the University of Chicago Law School.

Q: Did she go to school there?
A: Mink attended law school with several other women.

Q: Did she finish?
A: Mink obtained her Juris Doctor degree in 1951.
Did she do anything else interesting?
Mink was the only female who had ever showed ambition for student office in the school's history, something that was unheard of at the time.
Mink was the only female who had ever showed ambition for student office in the school's history, something that was unheard of at the time.