Jill Biden Bids Farewell to Teaching After 40 Remarkable Years
Deciding to step away from a career that has been a lifelong passion is never easy. But for First Lady Jill Biden, the time has come to retire from the classroom. After an incredible 40-year teaching career, Biden is officially closing this chapter. She shared the news last week, following her final lecture at Northern Virginia Community College.
During a virtual event with teachers from across the nation, she made a heartfelt announcement, saying, “Being your First Lady has been the honor of my life. But being your colleague has been the work of my life.” She went on to reveal, “Last Thursday, I taught my last class of the semester, and my final class ever at Northern Virginia Community College.”
With deep affection for the profession she’s dedicated her life to, Biden reflected, “I will always love this profession, which is why I continued to teach full-time while serving as your First Lady.”
It’s a rare and groundbreaking feat for a First Lady to hold a job outside of the White House, and Biden made history as the first— and only— First Lady to do so during her husband’s presidency.
Jill Biden Reflects on a Lifetime of Teaching as She Bids Farewell to the Classroom
For 15 years, First Lady Jill Biden has called Northern Virginia Community College her second home, and even when her husband, Joe Biden, was elected President, she chose to continue her teaching career. Now, as they prepare to leave the White House in the coming weeks, Biden is stepping away from both her role as First Lady and her beloved teaching profession.
Northern Virginia Community College President Anne Kress praised Biden for her extraordinary contributions, describing her as “an exceptional faculty member.” Kress continued, “As she retires after an exemplary career, she leaves a lasting legacy in the lives of the students she taught, mentored, and inspired over the years.” She added, “Jill Biden has been a remarkable, unequaled champion for America’s community colleges, and we know her advocacy will continue.”
Biden’s teaching journey began in 1976 when she taught high school English in Wilmington, Delaware. After a series of other teaching positions, she found her home at Northern Virginia Community College in 2009, right as her husband was stepping into the role of Vice President under President Barack Obama. Despite the move from Delaware to Washington, D.C., Biden continued to teach, even commuting by train from Delaware to her classes.
Her devotion to education has remained unwavering throughout her public life, and even as First Lady, she balanced her role in the White House with her commitment to shaping the minds of students.
Watch the video below to hear Biden share her deep love for teaching.
It’s not entirely surprising that Jill Biden is stepping away from her teaching role, especially given that she and her husband are entering a new phase of life after their time in the White House. After balancing both the responsibilities of being First Lady and teaching for so many years, it makes sense that she might want to fully embrace the next chapter.
As for whether she’ll take another teaching position elsewhere or retire for good, that’s a bit harder to predict. She clearly has a deep passion for education and has dedicated much of her life to it. While she may not return to a full-time teaching role at another school, it’s possible she could continue her advocacy for education or take on a role in a different capacity, such as mentoring, public speaking, or working with educational organizations.
Given her history of balancing her work with her role as First Lady, it wouldn’t be surprising if she continues to stay involved in education, just in a different way than before. But whether that’s through formal teaching or another avenue remains to be seen! What do you think?