Where Did Linda McMahon Go to College?
Credit: Al Drago / Bloomberg / Getty Images- The Senate voted to confirm Linda McMahon as education secretary.
- 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 expressed support for Trump’s idea to dissolve the Education Department during her confirmation hearing.
The U.S. Senate on March 3 confirmed Linda McMahon as the 13th secretary of the Department of Education. If President Donald Trump succeeds in ending the Education Department (ED), she could be the last.
McMahon, 76, is the former president and CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). She 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.”
During her confirmation hearing, McMahon expressed her support for Trump’s idea to dissolve the ED. She acknowledged that only Congress could completely dissolve the department, however, she said that the administration could cut some department branches not enshrined in statute without congressional approval. States and school districts would manage education programs independently.
“It is not the president’s goal to defund the programs,” she said, “It is only to have them operate more efficiently.”
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.”
During her confirmation hearing, McMahon said she did not want to see the Pell Grant program shrink under her leadership.
“I certainly would like to see workforce Pell Grants,” she said. “I definitely think that workforce Pell Grants are something that could stimulate our economy, provide opportunity for those who want to participate in skills-based learning … that would get those students into the workplace faster.”