Before she was secretary of the Air Force, Deborah Lee James was a young college student working hard to achieve her dream of becoming a diplomat. After earning her master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University in New York, she moved to Washington, D.C., and applied to the Foreign Service.  She was confident her dream would soon be fulfilled, but the acceptance letter never came.

More information: http://www.maxwell.af.mil/News/Display/tabid/10067/Article/759208/secaf-encourages-diversity-women-in-leadership-positions.aspx