After four decades in education, First Lady Jill Biden has taught her final class at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), ending a 15-year tenure there and a 40-year teaching career overall. During a virtual event honoring educators, she called being First Lady “the honor of my life,” but teaching “the work of my life,” reflecting the passion that kept her in the classroom even while serving in the White House.

NOVA President Anne Kress praised Biden as an “exceptional faculty member” respected by both students and staff, saying she leaves a lasting legacy at America’s community colleges. Biden, the first U.S. First Lady to maintain a full-time job outside the White House, balanced her duties with her commitment to teaching English and writing.

Her career began in 1976, teaching high school English and working as a reading specialist. She went on to teach at a psychiatric hospital, earn her doctorate in educational leadership, and spend 15 years at Delaware Technical Community College before joining NOVA in 2009.

Whether Biden plans to retire fully from teaching remains unclear. For now, she leaves behind a career defined by dedication to students, a belief in the power of education, and a unique place in history as both a national figure and a lifelong educator.