How Did Condoleezza Rice Make Her Money?

Condoleezza Rice is quite possible one of the most intelligent people to serve the federal government in recent decades.

She also has a stellar career as an educator, policy analyst, and advisor. Her work has made her a multimillionaire, but she seems more concerned with learning, educating, and influencing international relationships.

Why Is Condoleezza Rice Famous?

Condoleezza Rice became well known when George W. Bush recruited her as his National Security Advisor. She later became the first female Secretary of State.

While a noted diplomat with numerous international connections, she seemed more personable and thoughtful than most government officials. Even Americans who disagreed with her political positions had to agree that she had exceptional intelligence. Her earlier experiences as a Stanford professor and administrator are testaments to her abilities as a critical thinker.

She also impressed the world with her musical ability as a pianist. Earlier in life, she had planned to become a concert pianist. She eventually decided that she didn’t have enough talent to pursue a professional musical career, but she used her abilities to entertain diplomats, presidents, prime ministers, and other officials from around the world. She even played with Yo-Yo Ma during a White House performance and for the former Queen.

The media didn’t focus much on Rice after she left the White House, although she has given several interviews and published books about her experiences. Occasionally, rumors will emerge that the Republican Party wants her to run for a publicly elected office. One rumor even stated that she might replace Donald Trump as Mike Pence’s running mate during the 2016 election cycle.

Who Did Condoleezza Rice Serve Under?

Rice has held political appointments under several presidents, including serving as:

President George W. Bush’s appointment made her the first female Secretary of State and the second Black person to fill the role.

Colin Powell, her predecessor, was the first Black National Security Advisor in U.S. history.

Condoleezza Rice’s Career as a Politician

Condoleezza Rice’s political career started at the Council on Foreign Relations, where she had a position as an international fellow.

The Council on Foreign Relations isn’t a part of the U.S. government, but the non-profit think tank has employed several politicians, including secretaries of state, so it has some influence on American political policies.

While working at the Council on Foreign Relations, Rice also had a job assisted the director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This position brought her into frequent contact with some of the country’s most influential members of the government.

In the late 80s and early 90s, Rice served President George H. W. Bush as a special assistant on international affairs. She demonstrated a deep knowledge of Eastern European and Soviet politics.

In 1991, she wrote a speech President Bush presented to Ukraine’s Parliament. It received a standing applause, but many American conservatives criticized it for showing weakness. Critics called it the “Chicken Kiev Speech,” drawing on the name of a popular Ukrainian dish and drawing inference from the Chicken Little story.

The mixed reviews didn’t damage Rice’s career as a politician. To the contrary, she started working with public and private clients that wanted to manage relationship with Eastern European countries.

When George W. Bush decided to run for president, he recruited Rice to serve as one of his advisors, forming a relationship that led to her positions as National Security Advisor and, later, Secretary of State.

How Did Condoleezza Rice Change the World?

Condoleezza Rice changed the world by working with the U.S. and other governments during pivotal moments of tension, including the Cold War and the War Against Terror.

During the Cold War and after the fall of the USSR, Rice helped guide members of the government through a complex situation that involved threats of nuclear attacks and the formation of new countries.

As National Security Advisor and Secretary of State, she was instrumental in how the U.S. responded to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

She contended that the military needed to take a proactive approach to prevent terrorist attacks. In her view, terrorism isn’t like most crimes because, once committed, no judicial sentence can lead to justice. Collecting intelligence that stops an attack is the only road to success, so she urged the U.S. government to take this path.

While her belief in the superiority of collecting intelligence is almost certainly correct, it may have encouraged her to authorize the CIA to torture suspected terrorists. While she denies that she authorized the CIA to use torture, some official documents show that she supported using sleep deprivation and waterboarding while interviewing suspects.

Transformational Diplomacy

While serving as Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice restructured the department to focus on Transformational Diplomacy, a concept she developed.

Transformational Diplomacy seeks to build ties between nations to grow a network of democratic, responsible societies that could maintain themselves and address emerging threats as needed.

Under Rice’s direction, the State Department required diplomats to work in “hardship locations” like Iraq and Afghanistan. It also established high requirements for those filling diplomatic roles. For instance, all diplomats needed fluency in at least two foreign languages.

Some of the more hawkish members of the government criticized Transformational Diplomacy, saying it didn’t provide enough military intervention in areas that might harbor terrorists. Others contend that a lack of diplomacy and social support in places like Iraq fueled resentment against the U.S. and contributed to the ongoing threat of terrorism.

Does Condoleezza Rice Still Work at Stanford University?

After leaving Washington, Condoleezza Rice returned to Stanford University to work as a political science professor.

She also holds the Denning Professor in Global Business and the Economy position at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business.

Rice also holds a position within the Hoover Institution, which is connected to Stanford University but operates under an independent board of directors.

What Awards Has Condoleezza Rice Won?

Condoleezza Rice has won a long list of awards and honorary degrees. Some of her awards include:

Her honorary degrees include doctorates from:

Condoleezza Rice’s Net Worth

Reports of Condoleezza Rice’s net worth vary. Some sources put her value as low as $4.86 million, while others have estimates as high as $14.5 million.

The majority of reports say she has about $12 million in assets, so it’s fair to assume her net worth is around that amount.

How Did Condoleezza Rice Make Her Money?

Condoleezza Rice made her money by working in government, policy research, and education as well as from publishing and investing in sports teams.

As Secretary of State, she would have earned about $200,000 per year. That’s not nearly enough for someone to become a multimillionaire. If anything, Rice likely took a significant pay cut when she accepted President Bush’s offer.

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