Condoleezza Rice, Former Secretary of State, to Speak at U of A

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Condoleezza Rice

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Condoleezza Rice, former U.S. secretary of state under President George W. Bush, will speak at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, in Barnhill Arena. She will speak as part of the student-funded Distinguished Lecture Series at the University of Arkansas.

The lecture is free, open to the public, and no tickets are needed to attend. Men’s Razorback basketball will be playing at Walton Arena on March 5 as well, so the Distinguished Lecture Series committee is working with U of A Parking and Transit and University Police to ease expected traffic and parking issues. In an effort to reduce traffic, the doors to Barnhill Arena will open at 5:30 p.m. for those who are able to arrive early. Other details of the parking and transit plan will be announced well before the event.

“We are very excited to have Dr. Rice speaking on campus,” said Tyler Priest, co-chair of the committee. “We know there is a great deal of interest among students as well as throughout the community. We want to be sure that everyone who wants to hear her speak is able to, so we are working hard to make it as easy and convenient as possible to attend this important event.”

Condoleezza Rice is a native of Birmingham, Ala., and has made history through much of her professional life. In 1993, she became Stanford University’s provost and was the institution’s chief budget and academic officer for six years. From January 2005-2009, Rice served as the 66th secretary of state of the United States, the second woman and first African American woman to hold the post. Rice also served as Bush’s assistant to the president for National Security Affairs (National Security Advisor) from January 2001-2005, the first woman to hold the position.

Rice returned to teach at Stanford University in 2009, where she is a professor of political science and also the Denning Professor in Global Business and the Economy in the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

The Distinguished Lecture Series is a student-sponsored program. Speakers are chosen by a committee of students, faculty and staff, and the events are funded by a student-approved fee, appropriated by the Programs Allocation Board.