Dr. Condoleezza Rice Visits Marlborough School

Nominated by Students as Part of the School's Guerin Visiting Scholars Program, Dr. Rice Encourages Them to Find Their Passion, Seek Out Mentors, And Challenge Themselves

LOS ANGELES, March 14, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Marlborough School (www.marlboroughschool.org), an independent, urban day school serving young women from grades 7-12, today welcomed former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to campus.  Dr. Rice was nominated by students as part of the School's Guerin Visiting Scholars Program, which brings nationally and internationally recognized leaders to speak with the School's 530-member student body.  In addition to her All-School presentation on the topics of finding one's true passion, setting challenging goals, and seeking out mentors, Dr. Rice met with smaller groups of students, addressing subjects such as the events and aftermath of September 11, 2001, the global impact of women's rights issues, and defining experiences in her childhood, including attending an all-girls school. 

"At an all-girls school there is no such thing as gender definition, which made me believe there wasn't anything I couldn't do," said Dr. Rice.

In addition to serving as the 66th Secretary of State of the United States (the second woman and first African American woman to hold the post), Dr. Rice also served as Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (National Security Advisor) from January 2001-2005, the first woman to hold the position.  She is currently a professor of Political Economy in the Graduate School of Business; the Thomas and Barbara Stephenson Senior Fellow on Public Policy at the Hoover Institution; and a professor of Political Science at Stanford University. 

"Central to Marlborough's mission is our goal of inspiring, supporting, and preparing students to become engaged, contributing citizens in their local communities and the world," said Barbara Wagner, Head of School at Marlborough.  "I am confident that Dr. Rice's visit will continue to spark thought-provoking conversations amongst our students and inspire them to think about their own future opportunities for leadership and influence."

About Marlborough School
Marlborough School, founded in 1889, is an independent, urban day school serving a diverse group of young women. The School is committed to delivering a superior college preparatory education in an environment imbued with high ethical values. Marlborough is dedicated to the philosophy that academic excellence, leadership skills, and confidence flourish best in an environment exclusively devoted to the education of young women. The Marlborough community enables each student to develop her fullest potential so that she may become an actively engaged global citizen.

About the Guerin Visiting Scholars Program
In 1983, a gift from the Guerin Family Foundation established the Guerin Visiting Scholars Program, enabling Marlborough School to bring nationally and internationally recognized leaders in their fields to the Marlborough campus for visits that include hands-on work with students in classroom and studio settings, as well as a presentation to the student body.  Past Visiting Scholars include author Dr. Mark Mathabane, documentary filmmaker Zana Briski, choreographer and actor Debbie Allen, author, activist, feminist, and publisher Gloria Steinem, and opera singer Suzanna Guzman, among others.

SOURCE The Marlborough School