Condoleezza Rice - Biography

Rice is the top ranked administration official who hasn’t ruled out a run. The architect of Afghanistan’s and Iraq’s freedom.

Condoleezza Rice is the 66th United States Secretary of State. She became Secretary of State on January 26. 2005. Prior to becoming Secretary of State, Dr. Rice served as Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Advisor.

Rice also served in the administration of the first President Bush as Director and Senior Director of Soviet and East European Affairs in the National Security Council, and a Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. She also served in the State Department in 1977, during the Carter administration, as an intern in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Rice was a tenured Professor of Political Science at Stanford University, Senior Fellow of the Institute for International Studies, and a Fellow (by courtesy) of the Hoover Institution. From 1993 to 1999, she served as Provost of Stanford University. She also served on the board of numerous corporations and foundations including Charles Schwab and Chevron.

Rice was born in Birmingham, Alabama on November 14, 1954. Her father was a guidance counselor and Presbyterian minister. Her mother was a teacher.

Rice holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Denver, which she received cum laude at the age of 19. She has a master’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and a Ph.D. from the Graduate School of International Studies at the University of Denver.

Rice has said that her major career goal is to be Commissioner of the National Football League. She is an accomplished classical pianist and in addition to English, she speaks Russian, French, and Spanish.