Introductory remarks:

An Evening with Condoleezza Rice

6:30 p.m. October 9, 2019
Elliott Hall of Music, Purdue University

Good evening. I’m Mitch Daniels, president of Purdue University. I am delighted to welcome

you to An Evening with Condoleezza Rice, one of our Giant Leaps Series events as part of our

university’s 150th anniversary celebration. We are very excited to have you join us as we

celebrate our rich history and bright future for this great institution.

Condoleezza Rice is currently the Thomas and Barbara Stephenson Senior Fellow on Public

Policy at the Hoover Institution; the Denning Professor in Global Business and the Economy at

the Stanford Graduate School of Business; and a professor of Political Science at Stanford

University. She is a founding partner of the strategic consulting firm RiceHadleyGates.

From January 2005 to 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 President

George W. Bush’s Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs -- National Security

Advisor -- from January 2001 to 2005, the first woman to hold the position. A Birmingham,

Alabama native, Rice is a bestselling author; vice chair of the board of governors of the Boys and

Girls Club of America; a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; and a recipient

of 15 honorary doctorates.

Condi is also a very dear friend of mine. I've known her a long time and I had the pleasure of

working with her for a couple of years in the Bush administration. I admire her immensely. She

is one of the great talents and one of the great citizens of our time.
Condi exemplifies our mission at Purdue - what our faculty, staff, students, and supporters are

working hard to accomplish. We are on a path of innovation, achievement, and growth with a

destination of being one of the great higher education institutions in the world. With her record

of accomplishments and her experience helping to lead the United States in the world today - and

in preparing our youth for tomorrow - Condi can inspire us as we take more giant leaps on our

path. Please join me in welcoming Condoleezza Rice.

 Reference List

Condoleezza Rice speaks at Purdue. (2019, October 23). Retrieved from

https://takegiantleaps.com/former-u-s-secretary-of-state-condoleezza-rice-to-speak-at
purdue/.

How do you get Condoleezza Rice to Purdue? 'I called her up and asked her'. (n.d.). Retrieved
from https://www.wlfi.com/content/news/How-do-you-get-Condoleezza-Rice-to-Purdue
I-called-her-and-asked-her--562608311.html.

Purdue News Service. (n.d.). It's here: Purdue's grand finale for 150th anniversary celebration.
Retrieved from https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2019/Q3/purdue-announces
grand-finale-for-150th-anniversary-celebration.html.