DR. CONDOLEEZZA RICE

Dr. Condoleezza Rice served as U.S. secretary of state from January 2005 until January 2009, the second woman and the first African American woman to hold that position. Rice was born on November 14, 1954, in Birmingham, Alabama to parents who were both educators. Her father, John, was a football coach, high school guidance counselor and an ordained Presbyterian minister. Rice’s mother, Angelena, was also a teacher. In 2015, Dr. Rice was awarded the NFF Gold Medal, making her the first woman recognized by the organization in its 75-year history. In addition, she served on the College Football Playoff Committee from 2013 to 2016 and recently joined the ownership group of the Denver Broncos. She earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Denver in 1974, her master’s degree in political science from the University of Notre Dame in 1975, and her Ph.D. in political science from the Graduate School of International Studies at the University of Denver in 1981. After graduation, she accepted a position as a professor of political science at Stanford University. In 1987, Rice served as an advisor to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. From 1989 to March 1991, Rice served as director of Soviet and East European affairs in the National Security Council. From 1991-2001, Rice returned to Stanford as a professor, also serving as Stanford’s provost from 1993-1999. In 2001 she was appointed national security advisor by President George W. Bush, the first woman to serve in that position. After serving as U.S. secretary of state, Rice again returned to Stanford as a political science professor and the Thomas and Barbara Stephenson Senior Fellow on Public Policy at the Hoover Institution. In January of 2020, Rice was announced as the next director of Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, a public policy think tank.