Democracy in Dialogue: A Conversation with the 66th Secretary of State, Sec. Condoleezza Rice and political analyst and author Margaret Hoover

Monday, March 30

6PM - 7PM

Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center

*Tickets are free and required for entry.*

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As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, Auburn is commemorating the nation’s founding and democratic values through America 250 at Auburn University, a yearlong series of programs that bring history, civic life and public dialogue into conversation and invite thoughtful participation in democracy.

The university will open the first of its signature speaker series on March 30, 2026, with a moderated conversation featuring the 66th U.S. Secretary of State, Sec. Condoleezza Rice and political analyst Margaret Hoover at 6 p.m. in the Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center. Bringing together two nationally recognized leaders with distinct yet complementary records of public service, the dialogue will anchor the university’s yearlong exploration of leadership, citizenship and the evolving practice of democracy in the U.S. and beyond.

“We are deeply honored to welcome Secretary Rice and Margaret Hoover to Auburn for this important and timely conversation,” President Christopher B. Roberts said. “Democracy is at the heart of thoughtful dialogue, principled leadership and an engaged citizenry. These ideals are lived on our campus and throughout our communities, and I look forward to our speakers’ reflections on their implications for current and future generations.”

Rice, a Birmingham native, served as the 66th U.S. Secretary of State from 2005 to 2009 and as the 19th U.S. National Security Advisor from 2001 to 2005. As a distinguished scholar and former provost at Stanford University, Rice has built a career that bridges public service and higher education, continuing to advance democratic values and foster informed dialogue through her diplomacy, scholarship and teaching. Read more about Rice.

Since 2020, Rice has served as the eighth director of Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, where she is also a senior fellow on public policy. She holds the Denning Professorship in Global Business and the Economy at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. An author or co-author of numerous books, Rice is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has received more than fifteen honorary doctorates. She is also a founding partner of Rice, Hadley, Gates & Manuel LLC, an international strategic consulting firm, and is a co-founder of the Center for a New Generation, an academic enrichment program that supports students through after-school education initiatives in communities across the U.S.

Rice will be joined by Margaret Hoover, a contemporary and influential voice in the nation’s civic and political landscape through her work in media, public discourse and advocacy. A best-selling author and commentator, Hoover currently hosts Firing Line with Margaret Hoover, a long-running series that fosters thoughtful dialogue across the political spectrum. Since its relaunch by WNET/Thirteen in 2025, the program has featured a wide range of national figures, reflecting Hoover’s commitment to civil debate on the nation’s most pressing issues. She is also the host of Get It Right with Margaret Hoover on SiriusXM and serves as a CNN political contributor. Read more about Hoover.

The author of American Individualism: How a New Generation of Conservatives Can Save the Republican Party, Hoover advances a vision of conservatism rooted in individual liberty and constitutional principles. A veteran of the White House during the George W. Bush administration, she also serves on the boards of Stanford University’s Hoover Institution and the Hoover Presidential Foundation, where her work continues to emphasize the importance of free expression, democratic norms and dialogue across ideological divides.

Representing complementary dimensions of American political life, Rice’s career reflects the responsibilities of governance, statecraft and institutional leadership. At the same time, Hoover’s work emphasizes civic participation, public conversation and the influence of media on democratic culture. Their conversation is a part of a broader slate of the university’s programming that spans disciplines, generations and audiences.

Tickets are free and must be reserved in advance through the Gogue Performing Arts Center. Reservations for Auburn University students, faculty and staff open at 9 a.m. on February 16, followed by reservations to the general public on March 2.