Valerie Jarrett visits the College to speak at Values Week In honor of Womenʼs History Month, Obama Foundation CEO speaks to students

BETSY MAHONEY FLAT HAT CHIEF STAFF WRITER

Tuesday, March 7, Valerie Jarrett, senior advisor to former United States President Barack Obama and current CEO of the Obama Foundation, came to speak at the College of William and Mary in honor of Women’s History Month and Values Week, re ecting on the importance of female empowerment and gender equality. Co-sponsored by Alma Mater Productions, Community Values and Restorative Practices and the Center for Student Diversity, the event brought together students and community leaders alike to hear Jarrett speak in Sadler’s Commonwealth Auditorium.

Jarrett receiving her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University in 1978 and her Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School in 1981. In 1987, Jarrett left her corporate law rm to begin her public service career in Chicago, Illinois. Jarrett served as the Deputy Corporation Counsel for Mayor Harold Washington, the Commissioner of the Department of Planning and Development and the Chair of the Chicago Transit Board. Jarrett also served on numerous civic and corporate boards ranging from Ariel Investments to Sesame Street Workshop.

Jarrett made history by becoming the longestserving senior advisor to a United States President, working throughout President Barack Obama’s 20092017 presidency. During her tenure at the White House, Jarrett chaired the White House Council on Women and Girls while overseeing the Public Engagement and Intergovernmental A airs for the White House.

Despite Jarrett’s myriad of achievements in the federal government, she called attention to the signi cance of local government throughout her career. Jarrett highlighted its importance as it helps people gain experience and create relationships through interacting with communities rsthand.

“I learned more in local government where you look right in the face of your constituents,” said Jarrett. “By the time I had served eight years in Chicago’s local government, people knew who I was. I couldn’t go to the grocery store or dry cleaners without somebody coming up to me and saying ‘this is what I want you to do.’”

Following her tenure in the Obama administration, Jarrett now focuses her work on nonpro ts and foundations. She is the current board chairman of Civic Nation, a nonpro t organization dedicated to education initiatives to address national issues, cochair of e United State of Women, which builds coalitions among nonpro t organizations that are focused on women and gender equality, and CEO of the Obama Foundation, which is focused on the impacts of ordinary people.

“ ere is something just so replenishing benign around young people who aren’t jaded, who do believe they can make a di erence, who are willing to be civically engaged and feel this sense of power that I think sometimes dulls as people get older,” Jarrett said. Jarrett stressed that the importance of young people