Where Did Linda McMahon Go to College?
Credit: Al Drago / Bloomberg / Getty Images- President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Linda McMahon to serve as secretary of education.
- McMahon graduated from Eastern Carolina University in 1969 with a degree in French.
- She previously was the CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and served a one-year term on the Connecticut State Board of Education.
- McMahon has expressed support for extending Pell Grant eligibility to qualifying workforce programs.
President-elect Donald Trump announced his nomination to lead the Department of Education: former president and CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and current Trump transition co-chair Linda McMahon.
McMahon, 76, previously served as the administrator of the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first term, resigning in 2019 to chair American First Action, a pro-Trump super political action committee. Since 2021, McMahon has served as the chair of the board of the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), a conservative think tank.
McMahon attended East Carolina University and earned her bachelor’s degree in French and a certificate to teach, graduating in 1969.
“For the past four years … Linda has been a fierce advocate for parents’ rights, working hard … to achieve universal school choice in 12 states, giving children the opportunity to receive an excellent education, regardless of ZIP code or income,” Trump said in a statement announcing his pick.
“Linda will fight tirelessly to expand ‘choice’ to every state in America and empower parents to make the best education decision for their families.”
McMahon co-founded WWE in 1980 with her husband, Vince McMahon, serving as president and CEO of the organization until she resigned in September 2009 to run a failed U.S. Senate campaign.
Earlier that year, in January, McMahon was nominated by Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell to serve on the state Board of Education. The press release announcing her nomination incorrectly stated McMahon holds a bachelor’s in education. The Washington Post reported that she claimed to have a bachelor’s in education on a 2009 questionnaire for the board.
McMahon served on the board for one year before resigning in April 2010 due to a legal opinion that advised school board members to refrain from soliciting political contributions for candidates, according to the Norwich Bulletin.
She holds two honorary degrees: a doctorate of humanities degree from her alma mater, Eastern Carolina University, and an honorary doctor of humane letters from Sacred Heart University, a private, Roman Catholic university in Fairfield, Connecticut.
She served on the board of trustees at Sacred Heart University from 2004-2017, returning in 2021 after Trump’s first term.
In his statement announcing her nomination, Trump lauded McMahon’s time on the Connecticut Board of Education, as well as her role as a trustee at Sacred Heart, saying she had a “deep understanding of both education and business.”
He added that she would “spearhead” the effort to “send education BACK TO THE STATES.”
McMahon Advocated for Expanding Pell Grant Eligibility
McMahon authored a handful of statements and op-eds while at AFPI about the importance of investing in short-term workforce training programs and endorsing the Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act, which would extend Pell Grant eligibility to students in workforce training programs.
“Allowing students and workers to use Pell Grants for short-term workforce training programs in high-demand fields is good for American workers and the American economy,” she said in a December 2023 statement.
“The country is facing a historic labor shortage, and a multi-year degree program is not necessary for many Americans to obtain high-paying, fulfilling careers. This bipartisan legislation would help low-income Americans enroll in proven job-training programs with high placement rates and set themselves on a path to career success.”
In a September 2024 op-ed in The Hill, McMahon argued in favor of the bill, writing that Pell Grant eligibility is “outdated.” She pointed to programs such as software development bootcamps, which are currently ineligible under Pell rules.
“Workforce Pell is a bipartisan initiative because Americans on both sides of the aisle are ready to stop restricting Pell Grants to college degree programs,” she wrote. “… This legislation will ensure that the benefits of education and training are accessible to all skilled workers, no matter their chosen career.”