History of Maria Shriver in Timeline
Maria Shriver is an American journalist, author, and a member of both the Shriver and Kennedy families. She served as the former First Lady of California during her marriage to Arnold Schwarzenegger. Beyond her media and political affiliations, Shriver is the founder of The Women's Alzheimer's Movement, a non-profit dedicated to raising awareness and funding research for Alzheimer's prevention and treatment, particularly in women. Shriver and Schwarzenegger divorced in 2021.
November 6, 1955: Maria Shriver Born
On November 6, 1955, Maria Owings Shriver was born. She is an American journalist, author, a member of the Shriver and Kennedy families, former First Lady of California, and the founder of The Women's Alzheimer's Movement.
1968: Mother founded Special Olympics
In 1968, Maria Shriver's mother founded the Special Olympics, an organization for which Shriver has been a lifelong advocate.
1968: Family Moved to Chicago
In the summer of 1968, Maria Shriver's family moved temporarily to Chicago following Eunice Kennedy Shriver's work with the Special Olympics.
1970: Returned to Bethesda, Maryland
In 1970, Maria Shriver permanently returned from France to Bethesda, Maryland.
1972: Volunteered for Father's Vice Presidential Race
In 1972, Maria Shriver volunteered for her father's U.S. vice presidential race, an experience that ignited her passion for broadcast journalism.
1973: Graduated from Stone Ridge School
In 1973, Maria Shriver graduated from Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart high school in Bethesda, Maryland.
June 1977: Graduated from Georgetown University
In June 1977, Maria Shriver graduated from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., with a Bachelor of Arts degree in American studies.
1977: Meeting Arnold Schwarzenegger
In 1977, Maria Shriver was introduced to Arnold Schwarzenegger by Tom Brokaw at a charity tennis tournament.
April 26, 1986: Marriage to Arnold Schwarzenegger
On April 26, 1986, Maria Shriver married Arnold Schwarzenegger in Hyannis, Massachusetts.
1987: Co-anchored NBC News's Sunday Today
From 1987, Maria Shriver co-anchored NBC News's Sunday Today.
1988: Co-anchored Emmy-winning coverage of the Summer Olympics
In 1988, Maria Shriver co-anchored NBC's Emmy-winning coverage of the Summer Olympics.
1990: End of Co-anchoring NBC News's Sunday Today
Until 1990, Maria Shriver co-anchored NBC News's Sunday Today.
1992: Contributing Anchor on Dateline NBC
From 1992, Maria Shriver was a contributing anchor on Dateline NBC.
1993: Appeared in "Last Action Hero"
In 1993, Maria Shriver appeared as herself in the film "Last Action Hero".
1997: Pregnancy of Mildred Baena
In 1997, Mildred Baena became pregnant with Joseph Baena, who was fathered by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
1998: Co-anchor on Today
In 1998 Maria Shriver worked as a co-anchor on Today.
1998: Received Peabody Award
In 1998, Maria Shriver received a Peabody Award for her reporting at NBC.
2000: Published "Ten Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Went Out Into The Real World"
In 2000, Maria Shriver published her book "Ten Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Went Out Into The Real World", where she talks about becoming passionate about broadcast journalism.
August 2003: Took Unpaid Leave from NBC News
In August 2003, Maria Shriver took an unpaid leave of absence from NBC News when her husband became a candidate in the 2003 California gubernatorial recall election.
November 17, 2003: Became First Lady of California
Following her husband's inauguration on November 17, 2003, Maria Shriver became the First Lady of California. After this, she returned to reporting, making two more appearances for Dateline NBC.
2003: Began Leading the California Governor & First Lady's Conference on Women
In 2003, Maria Shriver began leading the California Governor & First Lady's Conference on Women after Arnold Schwarzenegger took office.
2003: Father Diagnosed with Alzheimer's
In 2003, Maria Shriver's father, Sargent Shriver, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, leading her to become an advocate and fundraiser for Alzheimer's patient care and biomedical research.
February 3, 2004: Asked to be Relieved of Duties at NBC News
On February 3, 2004, Maria Shriver asked to be "relieved of [her] duties at NBC News" due to conflict of interest concerns regarding her role as First Lady of California.
October 2004: Naming of the Maria Shriver Rose
In October 2004, a hybrid rose was named after Maria Shriver. The Maria Shriver rose contains starchy-white blooms and a powerful citrus fragrance.
2004: Attended Democratic and Republican National Conventions
In 2004, Maria Shriver attended both the Democratic National Convention to watch her uncle Ted Kennedy speak, and the Republican National Convention to watch her husband speak.
2004: Attendance at Democratic National Convention
In 2004, Maria Shriver attended the Democratic National Convention when her uncle Ted Kennedy spoke.
2004: Created The Minerva Awards
In 2004, Maria Shriver created The Minerva Awards to honor "remarkable California women".
2004: Left NBC News
In 2004, Maria Shriver left NBC News to focus on her role as First Lady of California.
2004: End of Contributing Anchor role at Dateline NBC
Maria Shriver's role as contributing anchor of Dateline NBC ended in 2004.
2004: Chairing California School Garden Network
Since 2004, Maria Shriver chairs the California School Garden Network, which has doubled the number of gardens in state schools from 3,000 to 6,000.
2005: Launched WE Connect Program
In 2005, Maria Shriver launched her WE Connect Program, which connects working families in need with money-saving programs and support services.
2006: Creation of California Hall of Fame
In 2006, Maria Shriver created the California Hall of Fame at The California Museum for History, Women and the Arts to honor legendary Californians.
2006: Appeared in "That's So Raven"
In 2006, Maria Shriver played a minor role as herself in "Be Prepared", an episode of the television series That's So Raven.
March 23, 2007: Substitute Host on Larry King Live
On March 23, 2007, Maria Shriver returned to television news as a substitute host on Larry King Live on CNN with Sheryl Crow and other guests.
January 21, 2008: American Idealist: The Story of Sargent Shriver Aired on PBS
On January 21, 2008, the documentary "American Idealist: The Story of Sargent Shriver", executive-produced by Maria Shriver, originally aired on PBS. The film chronicled the life, accomplishments and vision of her father, Sargent Shriver.
January 31, 2008: Schwarzenegger's Endorsement of John McCain
On January 31, 2008, Arnold Schwarzenegger endorsed Senator John McCain for the Republican presidential nomination.
February 3, 2008: Endorsement of Barack Obama
On February 3, 2008, Maria Shriver endorsed Senator Barack Obama for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination at a UCLA rally.
February 2008: Launched Lovin' Scoopful Ice Cream Company
In February 2008, Maria Shriver launched an ice cream company called Lovin' Scoopful with her brother, Tim Shriver, with 25% of the proceeds benefiting the Special Olympics.
November 2008: Launch of California Legacy Trails
In November 2008, Maria Shriver launched the California Legacy Trails, a web-based multimedia learning tool to help students learn California history.
May 2009: The Alzheimer's Project Premiered on HBO
In May 2009, "The Alzheimer's Project", a four-part documentary series executive produced by Maria Shriver, premiered on HBO.
May 2009: Planting of Edible Garden
In May 2009, Maria Shriver planted the first edible garden at a state capitol, partnering with Alice Waters. The food grown is distributed to local food banks.
June 2009: Expansion of WE Invest Program
In June 2009, Maria Shriver expanded her WE Invest program nationally through a partnership with Kiva, creating the first online peer-to-peer micro-lending program in the U.S.
October 2009: Launched "The Shriver Report: A Woman's Nation Changes Everything"
In October 2009, Maria Shriver launched "The Shriver Report: A Woman's Nation Changes Everything", a national study and comprehensive report in partnership with various organizations.
December 2009: Created WE Connect–Million Meals Initiative
In December 2009, Maria Shriver, in partnership with The Women's Conference, created the WE Connect–Million Meals Initiative to provide meals to California families in need.
2009: Shinnyo-en Foundation's 2009 Pathfinders to Peace Award
In 2009, Maria Shriver was honored with the Shinnyo-en Foundation's 2009 Pathfinders to Peace Award for exemplifying compassion, harmony, and peace.
March 2010: Held Community Resources Fair
In March 2010, Maria Shriver held a three-day Community Resources Fair in Fresno and Los Angeles through WE Connect, providing vital programs and free support services.
2010: Published "The Shriver Report: A Woman's Nation Takes on Alzheimer's"
In 2010, Maria Shriver and the Alzheimer's Association published "The Shriver Report: A Woman's Nation Takes on Alzheimer's", a study featuring writings by public figures.
2010: The Women's Conference Attracted Over 30,000 Attendees
In 2010, The Women's Conference, under Maria Shriver's leadership, attracted more than 30,000 attendees and 150 world opinion leaders.
May 9, 2011: Separation Announcement
On May 9, 2011, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver announced their separation after 25 years of marriage.
May 13, 2011: Twitter Message
On May 13, 2011, Maria Shriver posted a message on Twitter thanking her followers for their kindness and support following the announcement of her separation.
May 17, 2011: Schwarzenegger's Public Admission
On May 17, 2011, Arnold Schwarzenegger publicly admitted to fathering Joseph Baena with a household staff member.
July 1, 2011: Filing for Divorce
On July 1, 2011, Maria Shriver filed for divorce from Arnold Schwarzenegger, citing "irreconcilable differences".
2011: Separation from Arnold Schwarzenegger
In 2011, Maria Shriver separated from her husband, Arnold Schwarzenegger, after being married and having four children together.
April 30, 2013: Return to NBC as Special Anchor
On April 30, 2013, NBC announced that Maria Shriver would rejoin the network as a special anchor, focusing on issues surrounding the shifting roles of women in American life.
October 18, 2013: Return to the Anchor Desk on Today
On October 18, 2013, Maria Shriver returned to the anchor desk on Today, filling in for Savannah Guthrie for the first time since 1998 as co-anchor with Matt Lauer.
2013: The Shriver Report Released in Partnership with TIME and NBC News
In 2013, "The Shriver Report" was released in partnership with TIME and NBC News.
2013: Returned to NBC News as Special Anchor
In 2013, Maria Shriver returned to NBC News as a special anchor.
2014: Published "The Shriver Report: A Woman's Nation Pushes Back from the Brink"
In 2014, Maria Shriver published "The Shriver Report: A Woman's Nation Pushes Back from the Brink", a report about women and their children in poverty.
2016: Published "Color Your Mind"
In 2016, Maria Shriver published the coloring book "Color Your Mind", which is designed for people with Alzheimer's.
2017: Alzheimer's Association Lifetime Achievement Award
In 2017, the Alzheimer's Association awarded Maria Shriver with its first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award.
2018: Co-Executive Producer of "Take Your Pills"
In 2018, Maria Shriver and her daughter, Christina Schwarzenegger, were co-executive producers of "Take Your Pills", a documentary on psychostimulant medications.
2018: Published "I've Been Thinking...: Reflections Prayers and Meditations for a Meaningful Life"
In 2018, Maria Shriver published "I've Been Thinking...: Reflections Prayers and Meditations for a Meaningful Life", which became a No. 1 New York Times bestseller.
2018: Party Affiliation Change
In 2018, Maria Shriver revealed in an interview with the Commonwealth Club of California that she had changed her registration from Democrat to independent.
January 2019: Released "I've Been Thinking...The Journal"
In January 2019, Maria Shriver released a companion journal, "I've Been Thinking...The Journal: Reflections, Prayers and Inspirations for Your Meaningful Life".
December 2021: Divorce Finalization
In December 2021, the divorce between Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger was finalized after various legal disputes.
2021: Divorce from Arnold Schwarzenegger
In 2021, Maria Shriver divorced Arnold Schwarzenegger.
May 2022: Early Investor in Dave's Hot Chicken
In May 2022, Maria Shriver was reported to be an early investor in Dave's Hot Chicken, an American fast food chain.
Mentioned in this timeline
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