Condoleezza Rice Biography, Life, Interesting Facts

American politician Condoleezza Rice was born on the 14 November 1954 in Birmingham, Alabama. Her father was a college principal, pastor and sporting enthusiast and her mother a music teacher. Rice was an only child.

Education

At age 15 Condoleezza Rice enrolled at the University of Denver, and by 19 she held a degree in political science (1974). An influence upon her thinking was Josef Korbel, the father of Madeleine Albright. (Albright went on to become the first woman US Secretary of State). Rice then obtained a master’s degree from the University of Notre Dame (1975). In 1981 she received her doctorate from the University of Denver’s Graduate School of International Studies.

Rise To Fame

Condoleezza Rice was appointed a political science professor at Stanford University in 1981. In 1983 she became the first African American and the first woman to serve as provost of Stanford University (1983-1989). She was also the Chief Budget and Academic officer at the university. During the 1980s she also worked in Washington, D.C. as an international affairs fellow. In 1989, at the time when the Soviet Union was being dissolved, Rice was appointed Director of Soviet and East European Affairs on the National Security Council as well as a special assistant to the President.

She also was on the Federal Committee on Gender-Integrated Training In the Military (1997).

Career

Condoleezza Rice rose to international prominence when President George W. Bush appointed her National Security Adviser. She made history by becoming the first African American woman to hold the position. In 2004 Rice again made history when she became the first African American woman to be the U.S. Secretary of State (2005-2009).

Later Life

Condoleezza Rice is the Denning Professor in Global Business and the Economy at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She is also the Thomas and Barbara Stephenson Senior Fellow on Public Policy at the Hoover Institution and a professor of Political Science at Stanford University.

Rice also serves on various boards including Dropbox, C3 and Makena Capital.

International strategic consulting firm RiceHadleyGates, LLC was formed in 2009 and Rice is a founding partner.

As an author Rice has published some books including an account of her time in Washington, No Higher Honor: A Memoir of My Years in Washington and a biography of her family: Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family.

Awards And Achievements

Rice was appointed a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She also holds numerous honorary doctorates.

Personal Life

Although engaged to American football player Rick Upchurch in the 1970s, Rice has chosen to remain unmarried and has no children.

Religion

Condoleezza Rice was brought up in the Presbyterian faith.