Hillary Rodham Clinton and Condoleezza Rice to speak at Brown University in fall Ogden lectures

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] - Hillary Rodham Clinton and Condoleezza Rice - two accomplished public service leaders who served as the nation's 67^th and 66^th U.S. Secretary of State, respectively - will visit Brown University for speaking events six days apart in October and November.

Clinton, who has spent more than five decades in public service as an attorney, first lady, U.S. senator, U.S. secretary of state and American presidential candidate, will participate in a Q&A session during Brown's 104^thStephen A. Ogden Jr. '60 Memorial Lecture on International Affairs on Thursday, Oct. 30. She will discuss her five-decade career, her views on democracy, the U.S. political system and international affairs, and her hopes for the country's future.

Rice, a lifelong professor, former Stanford University provost, director of the Hoover Institution, former national security advisor, former secretary of state, and a partial owner of the Denver Broncos, will participate in a Q&A session during Brown's 105^th Ogden Lecture on Wednesday, Nov. 5. She will reflect on her experience leading the implementation of U.S. foreign policy and discuss global diplomacy and national security in a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape.

Both conversations, co-presented by Brown's Watson School of International and Public Affairs and Brown 2026, will be moderated by Brown University President Christina H. Paxson.

"As the nation and the world continue to grapple with how to sustain just, peaceful and prosperous societies, we're eager to learn from two preeminent leaders whose diverse perspectives and experiences have been shaped by their groundbreaking public service careers," Paxson said. "Welcoming both Secretary Clinton and Secretary Rice is especially meaningful during the inaugural semester of Brown's new Watson School of International and Public Affairs."

"A Conversation with Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton"

Hillary Rodham Clintonserved as secretary of state from 2009 to 2013 during the first term of President Barack Obama's administration. Using what she called a "smart power" approach to foreign policy, Clinton worked to reposition American diplomacy and development for the 21st century, expanding sanctions against Iran to address nuclear weapons proliferation, helping to negotiate a then-ceasefire in the Middle East and responding to pro-democratic protests, revolutions and civil wars that swept some Arab nations in the early 2010s.

A pragmatic leader and outspoken advocate for children and families, health care and women's rights, Clinton achieved notable firsts in her roles as first lady, U.S. senator, secretary of state and presidential candidate.

Married to 42^nd U.S. President Bill Clinton, she served as first lady from 1993 to 2001. A champion for broadening access to quality health care, she led successful bipartisan efforts to improve the adoption and foster care systems, reduce teen pregnancy and create the Children's Health Insurance Program.

In 2000, Clinton made history as the first-ever first lady elected to the U.S. Senate, and the first woman elected to statewide office in New York - a role in which she led bipartisan legislation to expand access to affordable health care, and helped to rebuild New York and advocate for care for first responders following the 9/11 attacks. In 2016, Clinton again made history when she became the first woman nominated for president by a major U.S. political party, campaigning on a vision of what she called an America that is "stronger together" and earning the support of nearly 66 million voters.

The author of numerous best-selling books, Clinton won a Grammy Award in 1997 for the audio recording of her book, "It Takes a Village." Her most recent book, "Something Lost, Something Gained: Reflections on Life, Love and Liberty," was published in September 2024. Clinton holds a bachelor's degree from Wellesley College and a J.D. from Yale Law School. She is a professor of the practice at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and chair of the Institute of Global Politics.

In 2025, President Joe Biden awarded Clinton the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, bestowed on individuals who have made "exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors."

"A Conversation with 66^th U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice"

Condoleezza Rice served as secretary of state from 2005 to 2009 during the second term of President George W. Bush's administration. She was the second woman and the first Black woman to hold the post. She also served as Bush's national security advisor from 2001 to 2005 as the first woman to hold the position.

As secretary of state, Rice supported the expansion of democratic governments and a diplomatic approach that sought to redistribute U.S. diplomats to areas of severe social and political trouble to address issues including disease, drug smuggling and human trafficking. She helped to negotiate several agreements in the Middle East, including Israeli withdrawal from and the opening of the Gaza border crossings in 2005 and the 2006 ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah forces in Lebanon.

Rice also worked to improve human rights issues in Iran and supported the passage of a United Nations Security Council Resolution for sanctions against the country unless its uranium enrichment program was curtailed. Another major focus for Rice was North Korea's nuclear program, and its subsequent testing of a nuclear weapon. In 2008, one of her most successful negotiations came to fruition, with the signing of the U.S.-India Agreement for Cooperation Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy.

Rice currently directs the Hoover Institution, a public policy think tank at Stanford University, and is a professor in global business and the economy at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She is also a founding partner of Rice, Hadley, Gates and Manuel, an international strategic consulting firm that works with major companies to implement strategic plans and expand in emerging markets.

A professor of political science, Rice has been a member of the Stanford faculty since 1981 and has won two of the university's highest teaching honors. She also served as Stanford's provost from 1993 to 1999, during which she was the institution's chief budget and academic officer.

From 1989 to 1991, Rice was on President George H.W. Bush's National Security Council staff. She served as director and then senior director of Soviet and East European affairs, as well as special assistant to the president for national security. In 1986, while an international affairs fellow of the Council on Foreign Relations, Rice also served as special assistant to the director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

She has authored numerous books, including 2019's "To Build a Better World: Choices to End the Cold War and Create a Global Commonwealth," co-authored with Philip Zelikow. Among her other volumes are three bestsellers: 2017's "Democracy: Stories from the Long Road to Freedom," 2011's "No Higher Honor: A Memoir of My Years in Washington," and 2010's "Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family."

Rice currently serves on the boards of C3.ai, an AI software company, and Makena Capital Management, a private endowment firm. She is also vice chair of the board of governors of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and a trustee of the Aspen Institute. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Rice earned her bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Denver; her master's in political science from the University of Notre Dame; and her Ph.D. in political science from the University of Denver. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has been awarded more than 15 honorary doctorates.

Ticket Information and News Media Access

"A Conversation with Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton" will take place on Thursday, Oct. 30, at 5 p.m. Six days later, "A Conversation with 66^th U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice" will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 5, at 5 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public, but tickets are required. Tickets for members of the public will be made available via the Ogden Lecture website in mid-October, and location information will be provided to registrants before the events.

Members of the news media are welcome to attend to report on the events, but still photography and audio and video recording are prohibited for all attendees. The University will provide a selection of photographs for media use within two hours of each event's conclusion. Media credentials will be reserved exclusively for journalists working on assignment for credentialed professional news organizations. Space is limited and the University may limit the total number of credentials awarded.

Journalists who wish to cover the Clinton event must request credentials from Brown's Office of University Communications no later than 12 noon Eastern Time on Wednesday, Oct. 29. Those who wish to cover the Rice event must request credentials no later than 12 noon Eastern Time on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Please send requests to [email protected] with the professional news organization's name along with the journalist's name, telephone number and email address. For requests that are granted, credentials will be made available for pickup on the Brown campus in advance of the event(s).

The Stephen A. Ogden Jr. '60 Memorial Lecture

Since 1965, the Ogden Lectureship has presented the University and its neighboring communities with authoritative and timely addresses about international affairs. The lectureship was established in memory of Stephen A. Ogden Jr., a member of the Brown Class of 1960, who died in 1963 from injuries he suffered in a car accident during his junior year. His family created the series as a tribute to Ogden's interest in advancing international peace and understanding.

Dozens of heads of state, diplomats and observers of the international scene have participated in the series, including former British prime ministers Theresa May and David Cameron; Queen Noor of Jordan; former President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev; former Canadian Prime Minister Kim Campbell; media innovator Ted Turner; astronaut Sen. John Glenn; economist Paul Volcker; former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo; Bolivian President Evo Morales; former prime minister of Italy Romano Prodi; His Holiness the Dalai Lama; World Bank President Jim Yong Kim; former U.N. Secretary-General Ban-ki Moon; and His Highness the Aga Khan.