A college student at 15, a professor at Stanford University at 26, and advisor to the US president at 35, Condoleezza Rice has always been a high achiever. Now her greatest achievement has come as she replaces Colin Powell to be the US's first black female Secretary of State. As the top diplomat , Rice became the highest-ranking black woman in the history of the US Government. But her success came as no surprise to the people who knew her well. “No one would have thought decades ago this kid would one day sit in the White House. But she was always such a rare combination of intelligence and charm, it just seems so right,” said Woolfolk, a childhood friend of Rice.

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康多莉扎·赖斯15岁考上大学，26岁成为斯坦福大学教授，35岁就任美国总统顾问，一直是人中翘楚。而今又取代鲍威尔成为美国历史上第一位黑人女国务卿，可谓如日中天。身为高级外交官，赖斯成为美国政府历史上地位最高的黑人女性。但对于熟悉她的人来说，赖斯的成功毫不足奇。“数十年以前，没人想到这个孩子有朝一日会进驻白宫，但她从来就集智慧与魅力于一身，世上少有，能有今天正所谓理所当然。”赖斯的童年好友乌尔佛克如是说。