Condoleezza Rice Tells Students, "Find Your Passion"

Photo credit: Johnson C. Smith University Condoleezza Rice and Dorothy Cowser Yancy, president of the university, at an informal meet-and-greet before her talk.

The Jane M. Smith Memorial Church at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C., buzzed with excitement as students awaited the arrival of the president's national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice.

The more than 300 attendees speculated about everything from the topic of her lecture to what color suit she would wear. Security was tight, members of the audience were not permitted to take pictures and the Secret Service was present in large numbers. A rustle in the crowd announced Rice’s arrival. Heads turned and bodies shifted as students primed themselves for the best view.

Rice gave an inspirational speech.

"Let me suggest the one obligation that you have while you are here," Rice said at the Sept. 13 event. "It's not to find a job, not find a career, but to find your passion. And follow it wherever it leads you."

She shared that she too, was once indecisive about her future and changed majors a number of times.

Rice challenged students to understand that higher education is a privilege. She said that for African Americans, education has been a “transforming experience” that has allowed them to move on to even higher opportunities. Her father, John Rice, was a 1946 graduate of Johnson C. Smith.

"The last time I was here on campus was when I was 11 years old," Rice said. "JCSU has really grown and made a lot of progress since those days,” she said.

John Rice believed in reaching back, and he passed those values to her, she said.

Rice did not discuss politics, but she said that freedom and democracy should be “universal aspirations.”

Rice's speech received mixed reviews. Tyrell Hughes, a senior sociology major, said, "I enjoyed it. She was very personable but nothing stood out in particular to me. I liked her own story. She is a good example for students. I thought her comments on passion were the most important."

Dr. Daniel Hoffman, a professor in the Political Science department was disappointed that she did not mention politics, "I was hoping that she would defend our foreign policy," he said.

NeAmbi Dawson, a senior finance major, agreed with Dr. Hoffman’s sentiments, saying, "I was not impressed with her speech at all."

Thomas E. Baldwin, chairman of the Johnson C. Smith board of trustees, had a completely opposite view. He said, "I thought it was a timely speech spoken from the heart, and I am thankful she was able to come."

Rice, a former Stanford provost, mentor and tenured professor, also spoke to students at nearby Wingate University.

Megan Ain Malachi is a student at Johnson C. Smith University.

Posted Sept. 15, 2004