Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice offered her perspectives on national security, current events and geopolitical strategic competition as she engaged with Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) students during an hour-long question and answer session at the latest Secretary of the Navy Guest Lecture (SGL) held at NPS, Oct. 5.

“The challenges we face are dynamic, and require deep understanding and collaboration across defense disciplines, our national security institutions, and with our international partners,” said Rice. “I am grateful for the invaluable contributions of the Naval Postgraduate School in tackling these pressing issues."

The “Fireside Chat” was moderated by retired U.S. Army Special Forces Lt. Gen. Eric Wendt, professor of practice in the school’s Department of Defense Analysis and an NPS distinguished alumnus.

Rice leveraged her considerable experience and academic prowess to speak poignantly and convey well-informed answers and advice to complex global challenges raised by Wendt and students to a packed house at King Auditorium. At the conclusion of her remarks, Rice was presented with a gift from the school by retired Vice Adm. Ann Rondeau, president of NPS.

During her visit, Rice also spoke with Defense Analysis students in the DA 3900 Command and Leadership course taught by Wendt, as well as the first cohort of Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions (HBCU/MSI) Scholarship-for-Service (S4S) civilian students, who began their graduate studies at NPS this September and will serve in Navy labs upon completion.

Rice served as the 66th Secretary of State from January 2005 to January 2009, becoming the second woman and first black woman to serve in the post. Prior to her tenure as Secretary of State, Rice served as President George W. Bush’s National Security Advisor from January 2001 to January 2005, and was the first woman to hold the position. Rice is currently the Tad and Dianne Taube Director of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, as well as a Senior Fellow on Public Policy.