As the final speaker of the year in Harding University’s American Studies Institute lectureship series, former Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice will be speaking to the faculty and student body and Searcy community from the Benson stage Thursday night, April 19, at 7:30. Tickets for the event went on sale March 12.
Rice’s lecture is titled “Looking Back and Moving Forward for a Stronger America.” She will be speaking on the major events that have impacted our world in the last decade, such as 9/11, the economic crash of 2008 and the Arab Spring, and how they are influencing America’s future, said Dr. Bob Reely, associate executive director of ASI.
“[Rice] will be answering how all of these events are mixing together, how they are blending together,” Reely said. “[Rice herself] is a person of historical significance. We have big groups [from outside of Searcy] coming in to hear her speak. Many see her as a huge role model with all she has accomplished in her life and how she overcame a great deal to get where she is today.”
Reely said students should definitely come to hear her speak, because unlike many speakers who come to Harding, Rice is not yet finished with her political career and will still help shape America in the years to come.
“She isn’t going anywhere,” Reely said. “In a few years from now, when students are watching television with their children and Condoleezza Rice is on a news station commenting on some huge event, they will be able to say they listened to her speak in person.”
Senior Bethany Chavez, student president of the ASI, said she admires Rice for her professional conduct in politics.
“I really admire Dr. Rice’s class,” Chavez said. “Unlike many people in politics, I have never heard her resort to yelling or name-calling when speaking with someone she disagrees with. The hostility and meanness that characterizes much of today’s political discourse is ridiculous, and we need more people like Dr. Rice who speak with intelligence and conviction.”
Chavez said she will be at the dinner with the ASI prior to the lecture and she said she hopes to meet Rice in person.
“I hope to be able to speak with her during the dinner,” Chavez said. “I’m afraid I might be too star-struck to say anything particularly deep, but I hope to let Dr. Rice know how much I admire her.”
Senior Elinor Renner said she is excited to hear Rice speak not only because she is a history major and political science minor, but also because she is reading Rice’s book “Extraordinary Ordinary People: A Memoir of a Family” and because she admires her life story.
“This history major in me gets really excited, because I think she’s such a good example of the American Dream,” Renner said. “She grew up in such a hard environment, but then she went on to have a truly amazing career even before she became secretary of state.”
Reely said he is expecting the Benson Auditorium to be packed when Rice speaks, so he suggested students arrive early for good seats. Students may get tickets free of charge at hardingtickets.com. The tickets will also be sold in the Benson lobby the night of the lecture.
