Condoleezza Rice is an American diplomat who served as the 66th United States Secretary of State. Often considered a role model for other African American women striving to reach great professional heights, Rice is the first African American woman to ever hold the position of the United States Secretary of States. A high achiever, she had served as the National Security Advisor during the firm term of President George Bush, becoming the first woman to do so. As a young girl growing up in the racially segregated Alabama, a political career was the last thing on her mind. She was musically inclined from childhood and took classes in ballet and piano with the aim of becoming a professional pianist. However, while at university she realized that she did not have it in her to become a professional musician, and chose to study international politics instead. She became a professor of political science at the Stanford University and was selected the university’s provost owing to her brilliance and strong character. She had always been actively involved in politics and had served as the National Security Advisor before being selected the Secretary of State.