Maria Shriver

Maria Shriver
Name	Maria Shriver
Caption	Shriver in 2014
Birth date	6 November 1955
Birth place	Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Education	Georgetown University (BA)
Occupation	Journalist, author, activist
Spouse	Arnold Schwarzenegger, 1986, 2011
Parents	Sargent Shriver, Eunice Kennedy Shriver
Relatives	Kennedy family

Maria Shriver. Maria Shriver is an American journalist, author, and prominent activist, known for her extensive career in broadcast news and her advocacy work on issues including Alzheimer's disease and women's empowerment. A member of the politically influential Kennedy family and the Shriver family, she served as the First Lady of California from 2003 to 2011 during the tenure of her then-husband, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Shriver has received numerous accolades, including a Peabody Award and an Emmy Award, for her documentary work and has founded several major philanthropic initiatives.

Early life and education

Maria Owings Shriver was born in Chicago, the daughter of Peace Corps founder and former U.S. Ambassador Sargent Shriver and Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver. She was raised in Maryland alongside her siblings, including Mark Shriver and Anthony Shriver, and is a niece of President John F. Kennedy and Senators Robert F. Kennedy and Edward M. Kennedy. She attended the Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bethesda, Maryland, before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in American studies from Georgetown University in 1977. During her time at Georgetown, she interned at WTTG, the local Fox affiliate in Washington, D.C..

Journalism career

Shriver began her professional journalism career in 1977 as a production assistant for CBS News in Philadelphia. She soon joined KYW-TV as a reporter and anchor before moving to Los Angeles in 1983 to work for CBS station KCBS-TV. In 1986, she became a national correspondent for the CBS Morning News and later for the news magazine West 57th. Her major breakthrough came in 1987 when she joined NBC News, where she co-anchored the Sunday edition of NBC Nightly News and served as a national correspondent for Dateline NBC. She earned a Peabody Award in 1998 for her report "Journey of a Lifetime" on Dateline NBC and won an Emmy Award for her coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.

Marriage and family

Shriver married actor and future Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger in April 1986 at St. Francis Xavier Church in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. The ceremony was officiated by Cardinal Bernard Law of the Archdiocese of Boston. The couple had four children: Katherine, Christina, Patrick, and Christopher. During Schwarzenegger's terms as governor from 2003 to 2011, Shriver served as the First Lady of California, launching initiatives like the annual California Hall of Fame at The California Museum. The couple separated in 2011 after Schwarzenegger publicly acknowledged fathering a child with a member of their household staff; their divorce was finalized in 2021.

Advocacy and philanthropy

Inspired by her father's diagnosis, Shriver has been a leading advocate for Alzheimer's disease research and awareness. In 1995, she authored the bestselling children's book What's Heaven? following the death of her grandmother, Rose Kennedy. She founded The Women's Alzheimer's Movement, a nonprofit organization funding gender-based research. As First Lady, she convened the annual Governor's Conference on Women and established The Minerva Awards to honor California women. She also served on the board of the Special Olympics and has been a vocal supporter of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles's charitable appeals. Her philanthropic work extends to partnerships with institutions like the Cleveland Clinic and the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health.

Later career and projects

After leaving the role of First Lady, Shriver returned to media, producing and narrating the HBO documentary The Alzheimer's Project in 2009. She launched the digital media company Shriver Media and the weekly email newsletter The Sunday Paper. She served as a special anchor and contributor for NBC News and later for the Today show, focusing on interviews and segments about shifting societal roles. She executive produced the 2021 documentary Take Your Pills for Netflix and authored several books, including I've Been Thinking... and What's Wrong with Grandma?. She remains a frequent speaker at events for organizations like the National Press Club and the United Nations.

Awards and recognition

Shriver has received widespread recognition for her journalism and advocacy. Her honors include a Peabody Award, an Emmy Award, and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Award from the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology. She was inducted into the California Hall of Fame in 2011 and has received honorary degrees from several universities, including the University of Southern California and Northeastern University. The Alzheimer's Association awarded her the Sargent and Eunice Shriver Profiles in Dignity Award, named for her parents. In 2020, she was named one of TIME magazine's 100 Most Influential People.

Category:American journalists Category:American activists Category:Kennedy family Category:People from Chicago Category:Georgetown University alumni