WASHINGTON – Jill Biden has closed the book on her teaching career at a Virginia community college.
After dedicating 40 years to teaching in classrooms, the first lady recently revealed that she had conducted her final class at Northern Virginia Community College in Alexandria. This unexpected news was shared during a virtual appreciation event, which drew teachers from various parts of the country.
Expressing her sentiments, she stated, “It has been an immense privilege to serve as your first lady. However, working alongside you all has truly been the essence of my career.” She further disclosed, “Last week, I wrapped up my last class of the semester, marking the end of my teaching journey at Northern Virginia Community College.”
Jill Biden, reflecting on her lifelong passion for the profession, remarked, “My love for teaching remains unwavering, which is why I persisted in teaching full time during my tenure as the first lady.” She was accompanied by Randi Weingarten from the American Federation of Teachers and Becky Pringle from the National Education Association as they sat together on a couch.
Biden had taught English and writing at NOVA for 15 years She is the first woman to continue her professional career outside the White House while serving as first lady.
The announcement comes as she and President Joe Biden prepare to leave the White House in a little over five weeks after the Democrat dropped his reelection bid reelection after turning in a poor debate performance against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump over the summer.
Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris succeeded Biden, but she lost the presidential race to Trump, who is set to be inaugurated to a second term on Jan. 20.
It was not immediately clear whether Jill Biden, 73, was retiring from teaching altogether. Aides had no immediate comment. Northern Virginia Community College also had no immediate comment.
Jill Biden started teaching English and writing there in 2009 after Barack Obama and Joe Biden were elected president and vice president and they moved to Washington. She continued to teach there after Joe Biden’s term ended in 2017, riding the train down from their home in Delaware.
Before NOVA, she also taught English and writing at Delaware Technical Community College.
Jill Biden started her career in 1976, teaching English at a high school in Wilmington, Delaware, before becoming a reading specialist at another high school. She also taught English at a psychiatric hospital while she pursued her second master’s degree. She also has a doctorate in educational leadership.
She often said, “teaching isn’t what I do, it’s who I am.”
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