Jill Biden: From teacher to US first lady

Jill Biden next first lady

Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden formerly Stevenson; born June 3, 1951 is an American educator who was the second lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. She is married to Joe Biden, the president-elect of the United States, who is set to be inaugurated on January 20, 2021, at which time she will become first lady.

After a week of heightened anticipation, the results are finally in United States election this year: Joe Biden has been elected the 46th president of the United States. Many of us are familiar with the former vice president to Barack Obama, but what about his wife, Jill Biden? As we move forward with the Biden presidency, we'd be remiss not to reflect on the life and career of the incoming FLOTUS. Here are some key facts to know about the next First Lady, Jill Biden.

Before ever becoming Second Lady, Jill Biden was a teacher in public school. In her 30-year career, Jill Biden's taught English and reading at Delaware Technical & Community College and helped adolescents at a psychiatric hospital. She has multiple degrees, including two Masters and a Doctorate from the University of Delaware (hence, Dr. Jill Biden!). Teaching is an integral part of her life; she even gave her Democratic National Committee speech in the classroom she taught in at Brandywine High School in her home town of Wilmington. Before her speech, she tweeted, "Teaching is not what I do. It is who I am."

Jill Jacobs was born in New Jersey but mostly grew up in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, where her father Donald C. Jacobs was vice president of a savings and loan institution.

She began working while in high school. Following her graduation in 1969, she briefly attended a community college to study fashion merchandising but soon changed her mind. She married Bill Stevenson in 1970, but the couple separated in 1974 and divorced the following year. During this time she attended the University of Delaware, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1975.

The Joe Bidens' romance is well-documented, but one detail people forget? They met blind. According to a Vogue profile, Joe's brother introduced him to the college student after he tragically lost On December 18, 1972, shortly after her husband became U.S. senator-elect, his first wife and daughter in a car accident. After just a phone call, the two went on a date to the movies. Keep in mind these were the days before social media and dating apps.

"I was a senior, and I had been dating guys in jeans and clogs and T-shirts, he came to the door and he had a sport coat and loafers, and I thought, ‘God, this is never going to work, not in a million years.’"

From there she became close to Joe and his two sons Hunter Biden and Beau Biden, and five proposal attempts later, they tied the knot in 1977

Considering Jill Biden's passion for education, it makes sense that she is involved herself in charitable causes. Throughout her career, she is given back to the community through various nonprofits. She founded the Biden Breast Health Initiative to empower women's health through early screenings, while Book Buddies gives reading materials to low-income children. She and fellow FLOTUS Michelle teamed up on a cause, kick-starting Joining Forces to provide assistance to families of military. She is also a huge advocate for community colleges and spearheaded a White House summit on the subject in 2012.

All public servants need to cool off, and for Jill Biden that means a morning jog. Since first running in the Komen Run for the Cure in the early '90s, she is "caught the bug" and runs in everything from 5K run to half-marathons. Her exercise routine? 5-mile runs five days a week, at a 9-10 miles-per-hour clip We are wiped out just reading about it.

Jill Biden maintained her hobby while Second Lady, though with some Secret Service nearby, so as FLOTUS we are sure she will take her daily lap.

Jill Biden may be First Lady designate, but she considers herself first and foremost a teacher. She willll continue teaching English at Northern Virginia Community College, a job she's held since 2009, which makes her the first FLOTUS in 231 years to work a full-time job while in the White House. She told news agency Sunday Morning she wanted to keep it up, saying "I want people to love teachers and know their contributions for society and to lift up their passion for profession." Now that is dedication!

What do we think of Jill Biden? Were there any facts you were not aware of prior to reading this? Sound off in the comments!