Where Did Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Vance, & Walz Go to College?

Where Did Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Vance, & Walz Go to College? — The 2024 presidential election is swiftly approaching—as is college admissions season. With Election Day and application deadlines not so far in the future, you may be wondering where the nominees themselves attended college, and how their alma mater shaped who they are today. Read on to find out about the institutions associated with Harris, Trump, Vance and Walz. You may be surprised by their educational history.

Where Did Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Vance, & Walz Go to College?

Click here to learn more about the logistics of how to vote during college. 

Where Did Kamala Harris Go to College?

Kamala Harris is a proud graduate of Howard University in Washington, D.C. Howard is a historically Black college or university (HBCU), making Harris the first presidential nominee to have attended an HBCU. At Howard, she studied political science and economics, with an eye toward her future career in law and politics.

But her time at school wasn’t solely focused on academics. She also served as the College of Arts and Sciences Freshman Council Representative, participated in the debate team and was part of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. “The thing that Howard taught me is that you can do any collection of things… You could be homecoming queen and valedictorian,” she shared in her 2017 commencement speech. She graduated in 1986.

After finishing her undergraduate education, Harris attended the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. There she interned at the Alameda County District Attorney while working toward her Juris Doctor (JD) degree. She graduated in 1989 and was admitted to the California bar in 1990. She went on to work for the San Francisco District Attorney and became the Attorney General of California.

Kamala Harris on Her College Years

Harris was initially drawn to Howard because of her interest in law. She was keen to attend the alma mater of Thurgood Marshall, the Supreme Court’s first Black justice. Like Marshall influenced her, a new generation of Howard students have been influenced by Harris. In an article for Howard magazine, professor Niambi Carter noted that there’s been an influx of interest in political science since “the Kamala Harris moment.”

Harris looks back on her time at Howard fondly. “Howard is home,” she wrote in an Instagram post celebrating the 113th anniversary of her sorority. After announcing her campaign for president, Harris made sure to pay a visit to her old stomping grounds. She not only welcomed freshmen to campus, but practiced for her upcoming debate. This is not the first time that Harris has used Howard as a home base for political preparation. During the 2020 election season, she often worked out of a campaign office on campus.

Where Did Donald Trump Go to College?

The former president began his college career at Fordham University in the Bronx, New York. At Fordham, he commuted to school instead of living on campus. He also played on the school’s squash team and joined ROTC his freshman year (he dropped out as a sophomore). Trump spent two years at Fordham before transferring to the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. This move aligned with his interest in real estate and growing the family business.

Wharton, as it’s more commonly called, is one of the country’s top business schools. Notable alumni include Elon Musk, founder of PayPal and Tesla, and Sundar Pichai, the current CEO of Google’s parent company, Alphabet Inc. It offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Wharton is the oldest collegiate business school in the world.

Where Did Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Vance, & Walz Go to College? (Continued)

Little is known about Trump’s extracurricular pursuits during college. According to classmates, he often returned home to New York City during the weekends. Trump earned his B.S. in economics in 1968. He went on to join his father’s real estate company, Trump Management.

Donald Trump on His College Years

Trump rarely talks about his time at Fordham, but he frequently mentions the University of Pennsylvania. In 2018, Penn’s student newspaper tallied how many times he’d mentioned the school since May 2015. The total came to 93 mentions. Trump’s admiration for his alma mater is evident. He’s referred to Wharton as “the best school in the world” and “super genius stuff.” On his academic performance, Trump has said that, “I was a nice student. I did very well.”

In a further endorsement of Penn, he sent three of his children to the school. Donald Jr. and Ivanka followed in their father’s footsteps and attended Wharton. Daughter Tiffany attended the College of Arts and Science. He’s also contributed to the business offerings available. In 1983, he helped found a real estate center housed at Wharton.

Where Did JD Vance Go to College?

JD Vance served in the Marine Corps before attending college. He deployed to Iraq as a military journalist and then worked in media relations for the Marines upon his return. After his service, Vance used the G.I. bill to attend the university of his home state: Ohio State. He finished his undergraduate coursework in just two years. Classmates remember him as someone who fit in well with the rest of the study body. He earned a B.A. in Political Science, which would serve him well during his future career in politics. He graduated summa cum laude in 2009.

Following his undergraduate studies, Vance attended Yale Law School. Yale Law School is widely regarded as one of the best law schools in the country. It regularly ranks as one of the top law schools in the country. At Yale, Vance served as an editor of the law journal. He also met his wife, Usha Vance, another law student.

Where Did Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Vance, & Walz Go to College? (Continued)

One of the most influential figures he encountered at Yale was professor Amy Chua. Chua, author of the book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, encouraged him to write a memoir, which would become his book Hillbilly Elegy. He graduated in 2013. Vance worked as a lawyer for two years afterward before switching to a career in venture capitalism. He went on to run for US Senate, winning his election in 2022.

JD Vance on his College Years

Like Harris and Trump, JD is an enthusiastic alum of his alma mater. During the Republican National Convention, he proudly declared, “I left the Marines after four years and went to the Ohio State University.” He also joined in on an “O-H-I-O!” chant during his speech.

The admiration is mutual. Ohio State’s Twitter account congratulated him after his vice presidential nomination was announced. Vance was also invited back to campus in 2017 to deliver a guest lecture. He discussed the problems facing Ohio and potential solutions.

Where Did Tim Walz Go to College?

Tim Walz began his undergraduate studies at the University of Houston. There he pursued East Asian studies while serving as a field artillery cannoneer with the Texas Army National Guard. However, he returned to Nebraska to complete his degree. Like Vance, he used the GI Bill to pay for school. He earned a B.S. in social science education from Chadron State College in 1989.

Though Walz would go on to earn a master’s degree, he didn’t do so immediately. After graduating from Chadron State College, he moved to China. There he worked as a teacher with WorldTeach, a Harvard-affiliated organization of volunteer teachers. Upon returning to the U.S., he taught high school in Alliance, Nebraska, where he met his wife, Gwen.

Where Did Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Vance, & Walz Go to College? (Continued)

In 1996, they moved to Gwen’s home state of Minnesota. There Walz worked as a geography teacher and football coach at Mankato West High School. While teaching, he earned an M.S. in educational leadership from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 2001. He wrote his thesis on suggested changes to Holocaust education. He continued to teach until 2006, when he began to focus on his political aspirations. Then, he went on to serve in the House of Representatives and become governor of Minnesota.

Tim Walz on his College Years

Walz said the following about his time at Chadron State: “The professors at this college wanted us to succeed. The door was always open for us to learn and to grow.” Current students feel like Walz has opened a door for them, too. They noted that the school’s location “in the middle of nowhere” makes it particularly exciting that an alum has become prominent on the national stage.

His alma mater is also cheering him on. Chadron State President Dr. Ron Patterson shared that, “we’re just proud of him, of the success that he has accomplished thus far.” Walz returned to campus in 2014 as commencement speaker. He also received the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Harris, Trump, Vance and Walz on Higher Education

Though all four nominees attended college, they have varying views on higher education. From student loan forgiveness to creating a new tuition-free university, here’s where the candidates stand.

• Kamala Harris co-sponsored 2017’s College For All Act, which aimed to make public colleges and universities free for most students. Though the act did not pass, she continues to support student loan forgiveness. While the attorney general of California, she held for-profit Corinthian Colleges accountable for preying on students.
• Donald Trump’s plans include creating an “American Academy.” The proposed new institution would offer a free bachelor’s degree to students. Its funding would be secured through the taxing of private university endowments. He also proposes stripping federal funding from schools that offer Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) materials or programs.

Where Did Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Vance, & Walz Go to College? (Continued)

• JD Vance wants to “aggressively attack” Like Trump, he is a critic of DEI programs and advocates for a “much less biased approach to teaching.”
• Similar to his running mate, Tim Walz is an advocate for free higher education. In 2023, he signed legislation that offers tuition-free college education to Minnesota residents earning less than $80,000.

Barron Trump College Decision

Many are wondering where Barron Trump is going to college now that he has reached that point in his educational path. Trump’s 18-year-old son was supposedly attending “a very good school in New York” and there was much speculation that this meant NYU, Columbia, or Cornell. However, as of the end of August 2024, with college classes beginning, Barron is not listed in the student directory at any of those institutions. Therefore, the mystery continues for those interested in the collegiate direction of the former President’s son.

Update: On September 4, 2024, it became public knowledge that Barron Trump is attending Stern School of Business at NYU.

Where Did Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Vance, & Walz Go to College? – More Resources

• The Divine Nine Fraternities and Sororities
• How to Get Into UPenn– Acceptance Rate & Strategies
• How to Get Into Yale: Acceptance Rate & Admissions Strategies
• Best Master’s in Education Online Programs – 2024
• Average LSAT Score, LSAT Percentiles, & Law School Acceptance Rates