Michelle Obama Biography

Fast Facts

• Led public health campaign Let's Move! to reduce childhood obesity
• Graduated salutatorian of her high school class in 1981
• Attended law school at Harvard and graduated in 1988
• Graduated cum laude from Princeton University in 1985 with a sociology degree
• Mother of daughters Malia and Sasha, born in 1998 and 2001, respectively
• Quote: "All of this, being together as a family, is what has made transition [to the White House] easy․ We have each other in a really fundamental way․"
• Quote: "When you work on something really hard together and enjoy the successes and challenges with each other, you realize how blessed you are and how much you have together․"
• Signed on as the Associate Dean of Student Service for the University of Chicago in 1996
• Became an assistant to the Mayor of Chicago and later the executive director of the city's non-profit organization, Public Allies
• Known for her numerous initiatives that supported healthy lifestyles, proper eating habits and the importance of daily exercise
• Known for her modern fashion choices while both campaigning and in the White House
• Skipped the second grade
• Made a deal with her husband Barack Obama that if he quit smoking, she would support his desire to run for public office
• Met her husband Barack in the late 80s when she mentored him after he was hired to her law firm