Early Life and Education of Jill Biden: A Complete Timeline
Discover the defining moments in the early life of Jill Biden. From birth to education, explore key events.
Jill Biden is an American educator and was the First Lady of the United States from 2021 to 2025. As the wife of President Joe Biden, she previously served as the Second Lady during his vice presidency from 2009 to 2017. Notably, she continued her career as a professor of English at Northern Virginia Community College during her time as First Lady, making her the first to hold a salaried job and carry on a professional career outside the White House for most of her tenure.
June 3, 1951: Jill Biden's Birth
On June 3, 1951, Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden was born. She later served as the First Lady of the United States from 2021 to 2025 and as Second Lady from 2009 to 2017.
1961: Family moved to Willow Grove, PA
In 1961, the Jacobs family moved to Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, and Donald Jacobs became the president and CEO of InterCounty Savings and Loan.
1969: Graduation from High School
In 1969, Jill Jacobs graduated from Upper Moreland High School.
February 1970: Marriage to Bill Stevenson
In February 1970, Jill Jacobs married Bill Stevenson and took the name Jill Stevenson.
1974: Separation from Bill Stevenson
In 1974, Jill Stevenson and Bill Stevenson drifted apart and separated.
March 1975: Met Joe Biden
In March 1975, Jill Stevenson met Senator Joe Biden on a blind date.
May 1975: Divorce Granted
In May 1975, Jill Stevenson's civil divorce from Bill Stevenson was granted.
1975: Graduation and Teaching Career
In 1975, Jill Jacobs graduated from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Arts in English. In 1975, she began her career as a substitute teacher and then taught high school English full-time.
June 17, 1977: Marriage to Joe Biden
On June 17, 1977, Jill Jacobs married Joe Biden at the Chapel at the United Nations in New York City.
1977: Marriage to Joe Biden
In 1977, Jill Jacobs married Joe Biden, becoming a stepmother to Beau and Hunter Biden.
June 8, 1981: Birth of Ashley Blazer Biden
On June 8, 1981, Jill and Joe Biden's daughter, Ashley Blazer Biden, was born.
1981: Birth of Ashley Biden
In 1981, Jill and Joe Biden had a daughter, Ashley Biden.
1987: Master of Arts in English
In 1987, Jill Biden received a Master of Arts in English from Villanova University.
1988: Husband's Presidential Bid
In 1988, during her husband's unsuccessful bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, Jill Biden stated she would continue teaching emotionally disabled children even if she became First Lady.
1993: Instructor at Delaware Technical & Community College
From 1993, Jill Biden was an English instructor at Delaware Technical & Community College until 2008.
2004: Opposed Presidential Run
In 2004, despite personally opposing the Iraq War, Jill Biden had not wanted her husband to run in the 2004 presidential election. Following George W. Bush's reelection in 2004, she urged her husband to run again for president.
January 2007: Doctorate in Education
In January 2007, at age 55, Jill Jacobs-Biden received a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in educational leadership from the University of Delaware.
2008: Campaigning with Obama
In 2008, after her husband was selected as Barack Obama's running mate, Jill Biden began campaigning, wearing a Blue Star Mothers Club pin in recognition of Beau Biden's deployment to Iraq. During the fall 2008 semester, she continued to teach at Delaware Technical & Community College during the week and campaigned over the weekend, grading papers on the campaign bus.
2008: Supported Presidential Campaign
In 2008, during Joe Biden's unsuccessful campaign to be the Democratic presidential nominee, Jill Biden continued to teach during the week and joined him for campaigning on weekends.
2008: Laura Bush's visit to Afghanistan in 2008
It was the first visit to a war zone by a U.S. first lady without her husband since Laura Bush went to Afghanistan in 2008
2008: End of Instructorship
Jill Biden's time as instructor at Delaware Technical & Community College ended in 2008.
January 2009: Second Lady and Professor
In January 2009, after her husband became Vice President, Jill Biden became the Second Lady of the United States and moved into Number One Observatory Circle. In January 2009, she also began teaching at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), becoming the first Second Lady to hold a paying job while her husband was Vice President.
2009: Full-Time Faculty Appointment
In Fall 2009, Jill Biden received a two-year appointment as a full-time faculty member at NOVA, teaching English and writing composition. She maintained a normal presence, sharing a cubicle and holding office hours, while also trying to minimize the visibility of her Secret Service detail.
January 2010: Commencement Speech at University of Delaware
In January 2010, Jill Biden gave the commencement speech at the University of Delaware's winter commencement, the first such address by her at a major university.
2011: Permanent Position as Associate Professor
In Fall 2011, Jill Biden was given a permanent position as an associate professor at NOVA, continuing to teach English and writing composition courses. Despite her role as Second Lady, she strived to maintain normalcy, interacting closely with students and managing her Secret Service detail.
February 2012: "Community College to Career" Bus Tour
In February 2012, Jill Biden, as Second Lady, staged a "Community College to Career" bus tour with Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis to showcase alliances between community colleges and local businesses. Despite her position, she always requested permission from the college to take time off work.
June 2012: Publication of Children's Book and Daughter's Marriage
In June 2012, Jill Biden published a children's book, Don't Forget, God Bless Our Troops, which was based on her stepson Beau's deployment. Also in June 2012, the Bidens' daughter Ashley, married Howard Krein.
November 6, 2012: Re-election of Obama and Joe Biden
On November 6, 2012, Barack Obama and Joe Biden were re-elected, marking the start of Jill Biden's second term as Second Lady.
January 2013: Start of Second Term as Second Lady
In January 2013, Jill Biden began her second term as Second Lady, continuing her support for military personnel, including visits to rehabilitation facilities.
May 2015: Death of Beau Biden
In May 2015, Jill Biden's stepson, Beau Biden, passed away from brain cancer, which she described as a shattering loss. She lost her faith and stopped attending church for four years.
October 21, 2015: Joe Biden Announces He Will Not Run for President
On October 21, 2015, Jill Biden was present when her husband, Joe Biden, announced in the Rose Garden that he would not run for the Democratic Party presidential nomination in the 2016 election. She was disappointed, believing he would have been the best president.
2015: Teaching at NOVA
During the Fall 2015 semester, Jill Biden continued to teach at NOVA, handling a full load of five classes.
March 2016: Welcoming Astronaut Scott Kelly Back to Earth
In March 2016, Jill Biden headed the official party that welcomed American astronaut Scott Kelly back to Earth after his near year-long mission in space.
2016: Joe Biden Decides Not to Run for President
In 2016, Jill Biden was present when her husband, Joe Biden, announced in the Rose Garden that he would not run for the Democratic Party presidential nomination. She was disappointed, believing he would have been the best president.
May 2017: Keynote Address at Milwaukee Area Technical College
In May 2017, Jill Biden gave the keynote address at a commencement for Milwaukee Area Technical College, emphasizing the importance of education.
June 2017: Purchase of Vacation Home in Rehoboth Beach
In June 2017, Jill and Joe Biden bought a $2.7 million vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. This purchase was possible due to deals with Flatiron Books, where Jill contracted to write one book and Joe two.
July 2017: Keynote Address at California Teachers Summit
In July 2017, Jill Biden gave the keynote address at a California teachers summit, emphasizing the need for communities to support teachers.
2017: End of Second Lady Term
In 2017, Jill Biden's tenure as the Second Lady of the United States came to an end when her husband's term as Vice President concluded.
May 2018: Commencement Address at Bishop State Community College
In May 2018, Jill Biden delivered a commencement address at Bishop State Community College in Alabama, encouraging graduates to believe in their ability to achieve anything despite life's obstacles.
February 2019: Address to Newport News Apprentice School Graduates
In February 2019, Jill Biden spoke to the graduating class of the Newport News Apprentice School, acknowledging their complicated lives and responsibilities while highlighting their mastery of a craft.
May 2019: Publication of Memoir 'Where the Light Enters'
In May 2019, Jill Biden's memoir, Where the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering Myself, was published. The book focuses on family and her role as "Dr. B.", with minimal political content, and Jill did book signings to promote the work.
2019: Increased Income and Charitable Giving
By 2019, the Bidens reported approximately $15 million in income since leaving the vice presidency, including $700,000 in speaking engagements for Jill. They also substantially increased their charitable giving during this period.
2019: Return to Faith
In 2019, Jill Biden began to find her faith again through interactions with people on the campaign trail after having lost it following the death of her stepson Beau in 2015.
June 2020: Publication of Children's Book 'Joey: The Story of Joe Biden'
In June 2020, Jill Biden published the children's book Joey: The Story of Joe Biden, portraying him as brave and adventurous despite being bullied for his stutter.
July 2020: Criticism of Betsy DeVos on Education
In July 2020, Jill Biden spoke out about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education, criticizing U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and emphasizing the need for a clear, science-based strategy and also stated Joe Biden would pick a public school educator with classroom experience as the new Secretary of Education.
November 2020: Appointment of Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor
In mid-November 2020, Julissa Reynoso Pantaleón was announced as Jill Biden's chief of staff, and Anthony Bernal was named as her senior advisor.
December 2020: Op-ed Controversy
In December 2020, an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal by Joseph Epstein suggested Jill Biden drop the "Dr." from her title, sparking widespread backlash. It also came to light that outgoing First Lady Melania Trump did not invite incoming First Lady Jill Biden to the White House for tea and a tour, breaking tradition.
2020: Leave of Absence from NOVA and Online Teaching Training
In 2020, Jill Biden took a leave of absence from NOVA for the spring semester to campaign full-time for her husband and also received training in online teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She intended to resume teaching even if her husband was elected.
2020: Visiting American Athletes at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games
In July 2021, Jill Biden visited American athletes at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games
January 20, 2021: Inauguration as First Lady
On January 20, 2021, Jill Biden's husband was inaugurated as president. Jill became the first spouse since Barbara Bush to have been both Second Lady and First Lady and the first since Pat Nixon to hold the roles non-consecutively. At 69, she was also the oldest to assume the role of First Lady and the first Italian American First Lady.
June 2021: G7 Summit in Cornwall
In June 2021, Joe and Jill Biden visited Cornwall in the United Kingdom for the 47th G7 summit. Jill Biden and the Duchess of Cambridge visited primary school students and participated in a roundtable discussion focusing on early childhood education. They also co-authored an op-ed that was published by CNN about early childhood care.
July 2021: Solo Trip to Tokyo
In July 2021, Jill Biden made her first solo trip abroad as First Lady, visiting Tokyo. She met with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and his wife Mariko Suga, Emperor Naruhito, and American athletes at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. She also attended the Olympics opening ceremony.
September 2021: Return to In-Person Teaching
In September 2021, Jill Biden returned to in-person teaching at NOVA, emphasizing the Biden administration's push to get students and teachers back to physical schools. Security measures for her classes were increased. She retained her reputation as a tough grader.
September 2021: Joining Forces Interagency Policy Committee Launch
In September 2021, the Office of the First Lady joined the U.S. National Security Council in launching the Joining Forces Interagency Policy Committee. The purpose of this committee was to secure proposals across the federal government to support military families.
October 2021: Campaigning for Terry McAuliffe
In October 2021, Jill Biden visited Virginia to deliver "last-minute stump" speeches for the Democratic governor, Terry McAuliffe, in his race against Republican challenger Glenn Youngkin.
October 2021: Visit to Vatican City and Rome
In October 2021, the Bidens visited Vatican City and met with Pope Francis to discuss world poverty and climate change. They also visited Rome for the G20 Leaders' Summit, where Jill Biden met with Serena Cappello, wife of Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, and Brigitte Macron, wife of French President Emmanuel Macron. Additionally, she visited families of American troops in Naples.
November 2021: Hidden Helpers Coalition Launch
In November 2021, the Joining Forces program joined the Elizabeth Dole Foundation and Wounded Warrior Project in launching the Hidden Helpers Coalition. This initiative was designed to create supportive programming for children of wounded, ill, or injured service members or veterans and partnered with 78 organizations.
2021: Became First Lady of the United States
In 2021, Jill Biden became the First Lady of the United States when her husband, Joe Biden, assumed the presidency.
February 2022: Advocacy for Free Community College Tuition
In February 2022, Jill Biden publicly acknowledged that the free community college tuition item had been dropped from the Build Back Better bill during an appearance before the Community College National Legislative Summit. She expressed her disappointment, emphasizing her personal connection to these issues. The Build Back Better Act later became the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, without free tuition for community college.
May 2022: Visit to Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine
In May 2022, Jill Biden traveled to Romania and Slovakia, visiting Ukrainian refugees. She also made an unannounced trip to Uzhhorod, Ukraine, meeting with displaced Ukrainian schoolchildren and Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska. She emphasized the importance of stopping the war and the support of the United States for the Ukrainian people.
July 2022: Expressing Frustration with Administration Challenges
In July 2022, Jill Biden expressed frustration with the challenges her husband faced while addressing various issues as president.
August 2022: COVID-19 Diagnosis
In August 2022, Jill Biden, who was fully vaccinated and had received two booster shots, contracted COVID-19 and entered isolation protocols.
October 2022: States Visited as First Lady
By October 2022, Jill Biden had visited 40 U.S. states as first lady, outpacing the number of states that her husband visited during his presidency.
January 2023: Mohs Surgery
In January 2023, Jill Biden underwent Mohs surgery to remove two basal-cell carcinoma lesions from her face and chest.
March 2023: Women's History Month Event
In March 2023, Jill Biden hosted a Women's History Month event, calling on men to fight for women's rights and hosted the International Women of Courage Award at the White House.
September 2023: COVID-19 Re-infection
In September 2023, Jill Biden contracted Covid again, having previously contracted COVID-19 in August 2022.
October 2023: Girls Leading Change Celebration
In October 2023, Jill Biden and the White House Gender Policy Council hosted the first-ever “Girls Leading Change” celebration to recognize young women's impact on their communities.
November 2023: Meeting with Maria Shriver
In November 2023, Jill Biden met with Maria Shriver, a women's health advocate, which led to the development of the White House Initiative on Women's Health Research.
February 2024: White House Initiative on Women's Health Research Announcement
In February 2024, Jill Biden announced the White House Initiative on Women's Health Research, allocating $100 million in federal funding for research and development into women's health.
April 2024: Urging President Biden to Call for End to Gaza War
In April 2024, The New York Times reported that President Biden told an attendee that the first lady had been urging him to call for an end to the Gaza war.
October 2024: Unveiling the Upgraded White House Public Tour
In October 2024, Jill Biden unveiled the upgraded White House public tour. The new tour featured digital elements, historical context, insights into the lives of previous presidents and their families, and greater access to the White House rooms that were previously closed to the public. The tour also accommodates blind tourists.
2024: Continued as English Professor
From 2009 to 2024, Jill Biden worked as a professor of English at Northern Virginia Community College. She was the first First Lady to hold a salaried job during the majority of her husband's tenure.
2025: End of First Lady Term
In 2025, Jill Biden's tenure as the First Lady of the United States came to an end when her husband's term as President concluded.
2026: Stevenson Murder Charge
In 2026, Bill Stevenson would become the subject of national attention after being charged with murdering his wife, 64 year-old Linda Stevenson.
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