Mississippi College Welcomes Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice

Condoleezza Rice

Mississippi College students are admirers of former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and eagerly await her visit to the Clinton campus.

Rice will serve as keynote speaker at MC’s annual spring scholarship dinner on April 17.

Her climb to the highest levels of government and academic circles is something that makes Rice a notable leader in the early 21^st Century. The former Stanford University provost served from 2005 to 2009 as the 66^th Secretary of State and was the first African-American woman to hold the post.

“I’ve been a Condoleezza Rice fan for a long time,” said MC junior Danielle Ashley of Laurel. “She’s a woman who’s made political strides in the Republican Party. She’s been great for women in general.”

On a day in late March when hundreds of MC undergraduates were participating in student government elections, supporters believe Rice will touch on this year’s White House race and discuss key developments on the international scene.

“It’s great we’ve got a high caliber, big-name speaker to come teach us something,” says MC junior Gus Brand of Amory, a candidate for Student Government Association president.

Josh Carver of Leland, another MC presidential prospect, says having Rice speak at the Christian university will help promote the Baptist-affiliated school in media outlets across the nation.

Rice’s appearance at MC’s 6:30 p.m. scholarship program that Tuesday comes seven days before the Stanford professor and author speaks at Duke University. On April 10, she will deliver the Ambassador Dave and Kay Phillips Family International Lecture on the campus in Durham, North Carolina.

Rice is also expected to have a press conference at MC’s School of Business.

At MC, Rice will be the latest edition to an all-star roster of Spring Scholarship Dinner speakers over the years. The list includes former U.S. Secretary of State Bob Dole, magazine publisher Steve Forbes, and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, host of a weekend show on Fox News. The events raised more than $1 million for Mississippi College scholarships since 2008.

The spring dinners were part of MC’s “Growing the Vision” campaign that’s collected $87.4 million for scholarships, academic needs, capital facilities and endowments the past five years. The campaign wrapped up last fall.

Individual tickets for Rice’s speech are $200. As of March 27, 422 tickets were sold. The ticket deadline is April 10. A little more than 200 tickets remain for the Anderson Hall program.

Rice’s role as an insider in the political world includes service as President George W. Bush’s national security adviser from 2001 to 2005. She was involved in America’s response to the September 11, 2011 terrorist attacks, and decisions to go to war with Iraq and Afghanistan.

Growing up in segregated Birmingham, Alabama, Rice previously served on the National Security Council under President George H.W. Bush from 1989 to 1991.

The Alabama native is the author and co-author of several books, including two recent bestsellers, “No Higher Honor: A Memoir of My Years in Washington” in 2011, and “Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family” in 2010.

For ticket information, contact MC’s Amy Rowan at 601.925.3257.