The First First Lady Who Kept Her Job Outside of the White House
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Dr. Jill Biden is an absolute force. She is an educator, the author of View From the East Wing, and the former First Lady of the United States, yet long before she stepped into national roles as Second Lady and later First Lady, Dr. Biden dedicated her professional life to teaching and learning.
She began her career as a high school English teacher. In 1977, she married then-Senator Joe Biden, and from the start of their marriage, she was determined to continue her teaching career while raising their family. Balancing the demands of family life with her work in the classroom remained a central priority for her.
At the same time, she pursued her own education with steady focus. She earned two master's degrees—one in education and another in English. As her husband set his sights on the presidential nomination, Dr. Biden found her professional niche teaching community college students, where she connected with a diverse group of learners while remaining grounded in the work she loved. During this period, she also completed her doctorate in education at the University of Delaware, marking a significant milestone in her academic journey and further preparing her for the dual roles she would later balance.
In 2009, she assumed the position of Second Lady after her husband became vice president of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama. As Second Lady, she led the Joining Forces initiative alongside former First Lady Michelle Obama. The initiative focused on supporting military families, and Dr. Biden continued to prioritize her identity as an educator. Throughout her years as Second Lady, she maintained her position as an English professor at Northern Virginia Community College, refusing to set aside the classroom work that had defined so much of her adult life.
When she became First Lady in 2021, she again chose to keep teaching. In doing so, impressively, she became the first First Lady to hold a job outside the White House. Her decision underscored a consistent theme throughout every stage of her public and private life: a steadfast dedication to education, both as a student and as a teacher.
Listen to the latest episode of Second Life to hear how Dr. Biden continues to stay committed to the belief that teaching and learning truly matter in everything she does.
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