by Shannon Kelly ’26 on November 6, 2025
News
Former Secretary of State, First Lady, and presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton was the guest speaker at Brown University’s Pizzitola’s Sports Center on Thursday, Oct. 30. As a relentless public servant who has dedicated her life to preserving the welfare of families and advocating for women’s rights to be seen as human rights, Clinton spoke as a part of the Ogden Memorial Lecture on International Affairs series, which began in 1965. The series honors Stephen A. Ogden Jr., who was a member of the class of 1960 and tragically died in a car accident during his junior year. The Ogden Lectureship was founded two years later and hoped to protect Ogden’s aspirations: the advancement of international peace and understanding. In over 100 talks given thus far, the Ogden Lectures share a common thread of speaking on pressing matters that necessitate global concern.
Brown University President, Christina H. Paxson, gave formal remarks before handing the microphone to John N. Friedman, the inaugural dean of the Thomas J. Watson School of International and Public Affairs. Friedman spoke to the importance of preserving knowledge in our current societal climate and preparing future leaders to engage with some of the world’s most pressing political and social problems.
The first topic Clinton spoke about was foreign policy. Specifically, she emphasized the need to remember the impact of WWII on the global order, which ultimately allowed for America to emerge as a global superpower. Repeatedly throughout the talk, Clinton mentioned the impacts of the rise of China and Russian aggression. To quote, she said there is “a lot of churn going on” regarding current world movements. Clinton also called the audience’s attention to the current moment by mentioning the attacks on international institutions and the current administration’s withdrawal of the United States from agreements that we have been a part of for many years. She advocated for an approach that recognizes the need for stability and discipline, as the lack of credibility of the current administration often leads to multifaceted instability. Clinton also expressed her thoughts on the Israel/Palestine conflict, stating that a ceasefire is the very beginning of the work necessary and that we are in dire need of patient, strategic leadership.
Clinton was asked about the role of power and persuasion in our current society. She continually highlighted the need for us to try and understand the people with whom we share space. She also spoke about her own engagement with personal diplomacy, where she continually makes an effort to get to know political leaders through forming connections and relationships. Clinton encouraged all of us to do that on a local level—to make an active effort to share conversation and get to know those who exist in the same communities as you. Additionally, she made it a point to say that as a people, we must be willing to invest in relationships with one another, instead of treating everything like it’s a transaction.
The topics of misinformation and disinformation were also discussed, stating that this is one of the biggest issues that we face and that not nearly enough is currently being done. Clinton explained disinformation to be a well-organized industry that operates in a way that further divides Americans. Both industries have exacerbated a crisis of deciphering what is a fact and what is a falsehood, especially online. She encouraged the need for the basis of our information to be grounded in fact, and that we must be firm in our individual beliefs. She also spoke to the manipulation of the algorithm in our social media feeds that seek to “flood the zone and tilt our opinions one way or another.” Clinton concluded that we are living in a crisis of knowing what’s real and what’s not, while undergoing a massive experiment on our brains, which are so easily addicted to what is on our phones, or machines, as she referred to them. All in all, when we lack facts, evidence, and truth, it is impossible to have trust.
One of the most powerful parts of the talk stemmed from Clinton’s advice she offered to young girls and women. Her first piece of advice was that people must not feel deterred, recognizing that being a woman in politics is really difficult, and that women are constantly being attacked online. She also spoke to her own experience of having a family and working in the political arena, as she believes that the priority has now shifted to the safety of women, rather than the lived experience. Clinton believes it takes true confidence and courage for women to put themselves out there. She also stated that we should take criticism seriously, but not personally; she reinforced that we must learn from criticism rather than give in to it.
The last topic discussed was the role of universities in promoting democracy. Clinton’s response was simple and involved just eight words: “register to vote and vote in every election.” She mentioned the urgent need for forums that include differing opinions, educating people on current issues, and talking about what is at stake when discussing politics. She said that universities must be incubators of citizenship and have a duty to encourage debate based on facts, while encouraging all of their students to register to vote.
Clinton ended by talking about the need to focus on the day-to-day challenges that we face and that we must remember the 250th anniversary of the United States that is approaching in the coming year. All in all, she encouraged the audience to engage across differences with both humanity and humility, with the intention of understanding other people’s perspectives, even when they do not align with your own. Condoleezza Rice is the next speaker for the Ogden Lecture Series on Wednesday, Nov. 5 at the Pizzitola Sports Center at Brown University.A Talk by Hillary Clinton: A Reflection on Her Career and Future