Ivanka Trump: A Look at Her Education and Career
Ivanka Marie "Ivanka" Trump, born on October 30, 1981, is an American businesswoman, advisor, and author who has navigated a diverse career path spanning real estate, fashion, and politics. This article delves into her educational background and professional journey, highlighting key milestones and achievements.
Early Life and Education
Born and raised in Manhattan, New York City, Ivanka is the second child of Donald Trump and his first wife, Ivana (née Zelníčková), a model from the Czech Republic. Her nickname, "Ivanka," is a common short form of Ivana in Slavic countries. Ivanka's parents divorced in 1990 when she was nine years old. She has two brothers, Donald Jr. and Eric.
Ivanka's early education took place at the Chapin School in Manhattan, an exclusive all-girls institution that counts Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis among its alumnae. At age 15, she moved to Choate Rosemary Hall, a boarding school in Connecticut.
After high school, Ivanka attended Georgetown University for two years. In her junior year, however, she transferred to the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 2004 with a degree in economics. This aligns with a family tradition, as her father often mentions his Wharton degree, and her older brother Donald Jr. also attended the same institution.
Early Career and Business Ventures
After college, Trump worked for a real estate company called Forest City Ratner. She later joined her family's business, the Trump Organization, as an executive vice president. Prior to her father’s election as forty-fifth President of the United States, Ivanka oversaw development and acquisitions at the Trump Organization alongside her brothers Donald Jr. and Eric, leading some of the company’s largest and most complex transactions.
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In addition to real estate, Trump started her own fashion brand. In 2007, she launched Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry, a line of gold and diamond jewelry, opening a store in Manhattan and selling her jewelry online. Her brand was named "Launch of the Year" in 2010 by Footwear News. She also had a fashion lifestyle brand under her own name that consisted of apparel, footwear, handbags, jewelry, and fragrance. By July 2018, Ivanka announced she was shutting down her fashion company.
Role in the Trump Administration
During her father's presidency from 2017 to 2021, Ivanka served as a senior advisor. In March 2017, she was officially named Advisor to the President. She was also the director of the Office of Economic Initiatives and Entrepreneurship. As an advisor, she focused on issues like economic growth and entrepreneurship, especially for women. She helped launch the Women's Global Development and Prosperity Initiative (W-GDP), traveling to many countries, including Ethiopia, Colombia, and Morocco, to promote the W-GDP initiative. Trump supported new laws, including one that gave paid family leave to federal workers.
Other Ventures and Appearances
Trump appeared on her father's TV show, The Apprentice. In 1997, she co-hosted the Miss Teen USA Pageant. She was also a guest judge on the fashion design show Project Runway.
Author and Public Figure
Trump has written two books. Her first book, The Trump Card: Playing to Win in Work and Life, was published in 2009. Her second book, Women Who Work: Rewriting the Rules for Success, came out in 2017. It is a self-help book for women in the business world.
In 2015, Trump introduced her father when he announced he was running for president. At the 2016 Republican National Convention, she gave a speech introducing her father, talking about issues like equal pay for working mothers and affordable childcare.
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Personal Life
In 2005, she began dating Jared Kushner, a real estate developer. They married in a Jewish ceremony on October 25, 2009. Trump was raised as a Presbyterian Christian. In July 2009, she converted to Orthodox Judaism before her marriage to Jared Kushner. Trump has been involved in several charitable causes. In 2010, she co-founded Girl Up, a program with the United Nations Foundation that supports adolescent girls. In 2021 and 2022, she worked on a program that delivered millions of meals to families in need across the United States.
Recognition and Influence
Ivanka Trump has been included in Fortune magazine’s prestigious “40 Under 40” list (2014) and was honored as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum (2015). Most recently, Ivanka was also featured in Time’s 100 Most Influential list (2017) and Forbes’ “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” (2017).
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