Michelle Obama
Washington, DC USA
"If I could do it, there’s so many people back home who could be doing this. So let me help them out."
Career Roadmap
Michelle's work combines: Politics, Non-Profit Organizations, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
Some teachers tried to dissuade me from applying to Princeton like my brother. But, I knew I was more than capable of succeeding there, so I did it anyways.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Sociology, General
Princeton University
Doctorate
Law
Harvard University
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, IL.
2.
Her parents rented a small apartment on the second floor of a bungalow; she grew up in a very “conventional” home where her father went to work and her mother raised the children.
3.
There was a strong emphasis on education in her home—both she and her brother learned to read by age four and skipped the second grade.
4.
She attended Chicago’s first magnet high school for gifted children and eventually graduated as the salutatorian of her class.
5.
She earned a bachelor's from Princeton and a law degree from Harvard—she was a passionate activist for minority students, challenged teaching methodologies, and participated in demonstrations.
6.
After law school, she worked as an associate at Chicago law firm, Sidley & Austin, which is where she met her future husband, Barack Obama.
7.
In 1991, she decided to leave her career in law to pursue public service—she has served in high-profile positions for the City of Chicago, University of Chicago, and University of Chicago Hospitals.
8.
Served as First Lady of the United States of America from 2009–2017—she’s championed issues including education, volunteer work, healthy living, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, and more.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Teachers:
You are setting your sights too high.
How I responded:
Some teachers tried to dissuade me from applying to Princeton like my brother. But, I knew I was more than capable of succeeding there, so I did it anyways.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I followed my brother to Princeton. Since neither of my parents finished college, I didn't have as much guidance as I wanted and felt very overwhelmed when I first got to college.
Going to Princeton was the first time I became accutely aware of my race. Even though I was never treated badly outright, I always felt like a visitor on campus.
My father died of complications due to multiple sclerosis shortly after I graduated college. Even though it left a whole in my life, I use his memory to motivate me every day.