Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020
Will Jill Biden be the first presidential spouse to continue a career while serving as first lady?
Jill Biden will become the first presidential spouse to continue a career outside the White House while serving as first lady. The President-elect's wife, who has a doctorate in education, teaches English at Northern Virginia Community College in Alexandria, Virginia.
During her time as second lady from 2009 to 2017, Biden also broke with tradition by continuing to teach while also working with Michelle Obama on a "Joining Forces" initiative designed to encourage citizen-veteran engagement.
The Biden campaign has stated that in her role as first lady, Biden plans to push for two years of tuition-free community college, as well as work on the issues of food insecurity and unequal access to technology among students.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
- Politico: Jill Biden to make history as a first lady with a day job
- EdSource: Community colleges find an advocate in future first lady Jill Biden
- Southern Methodist Univeristy: George W. Bush Library—The first lady and her role
- National First Ladies Library: Role of first lady and origin of the title
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