Madeleine Albright speaks on campus for inaugural CWBC Colloquium

There’s a reason tickets to the Council for Women of Boston College’s Inaugural Colloquium sold out in less than 30 minutes – Madeleine Albright is a big deal.

Robsham was packed full of  well-dressed professionals and students rushing from class, opting for a more subtle and classy approach to fangirling as we awaited Dr. Albright’s entrance.

Madeleine Albright, in addition to being a professor at Georgetown, five-time New York Times bestselling author, and former UN representative, was the first female Secretary of State. At the time of her swearing in, she became the most high-powered woman in the history of the United States government.

She also happens to be hilarious.

Father Leahy delivered opening remarks, followed by Kathleen McGillicuddy, Chair of the Council for Women of Boston College. Ms. McGuillicuddy who thanked all the hardworking individuals who made this night possible, and introduced Madeleine Albright.

Dr. Albright approached the podium as poised and vivacious as you would expect of a woman who has singlehandedly advanced women’s roles in leadership and humanitarian issues worldwide.

She immediately thanked Kathleen McGillycuddy for telling everyone who she is, to which we all laughed. For someone indescribably influential, Dr. Albright was admirably humble from the moment she entered.

She mentioned her work with the “most famous” of BC alums she has worked with – Amy Poehler. She shared a memory of working with Poehler during the last season of Parks and Recreation when Poehler’s character, Leslie Knope, visits Washington DC.

In true Parks fashion, Dr. Albright shared waffles with Poehler. Dr. Albright said this was necessary because of the “Treat Yo’Self” attitude of the entire Parks cast. If you didn’t love Madeleine Albright before – you should now.

Dr. Albright discussed her journey from Wellesley College, to life as a married woman attempting to have a career in journalism, and motherhood with refreshing honesty. She described how long it took to get her PhD, and the extended time she took off work before joining the political scene.

Jennifer Erickson, the White Family Sesquicentennial Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Studies, served as moderator

When Madeleine Albright became the United States representative to the United Nations, she cited wanting to elevate women to a place of equality as a mainstream goal.

Even in government today, Dr. Albright said: “The mistreatment of women is not a side issue, but a symptom of a larger problem.”

She acknowledges the strides women have, made but says gender discrimination is a global problem, and we must treat it as such.

When discussing overwhelming world challenges such as sexism and poverty, Dr. Albright said: “Forward movements takes place on a step-by-step basis.”

She said often when women assume position of powers, people view it as a trial period to see if women can do the job. But, in reality “women are capable of governing, and that’s not an opinion – that’s a fact.”

Albright urged women not to be afraid to interrupt and speak up like our male counterparts because “in our society, it’s better to be seen as rude then seeming like you have nothing to say.”

She added: “Act out of hope, not fear. Once you act, don’t be afraid of your decisions.”

“There is a special seat in paradise reserved for women who help other women, and a seat in hell reserved for those who don’t,” Dr. Albright cautioned us.

Women need to work extra hard because “there’s plenty of room for mediocre men but no room for mediocre women.”

Dr. Albright says the most underrated matter of national security threat we are facing right now is climate change. “We’ve fought over oil, but wait until we’re fighting over water,” she cautions. The struggle in government, she explains, is that what is important often gets overshadowed by what’s urgent.

“I believe this country is great,” Dr. Albright said at the end of the Q&A following her speech.

She gratefully expressed the amazing career she had and notes that for all of it, she was incredibly proud to be seated behind a sign that read “The United States.”