Maria Shriver facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maria Shriver
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Shriver in 2018
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| 35th First Lady of California | |
| In role November 17, 2003 – January 3, 2011 |
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| Governor | Arnold Schwarzenegger |
| Preceded by | Sharon Davis |
| Succeeded by | Anne Gust Brown |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Maria Owings Shriver
November 6, 1955 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Independent (2011–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Democratic (until 2011) |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 4, including Katherine and Patrick Schwarzenegger |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Shriver family Kennedy family Chris Pratt (son-in-law) |
| Residences | Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Education | Georgetown University (BA) |
| Profession |
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| Signature |  |
Maria Owings Shriver (born November 6, 1955) is an American journalist and author. She is part of the well-known Shriver and Kennedy families. She was also the First Lady of California and started a group called The Women's Alzheimer's Movement. Maria was married to actor and former governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger. They divorced in 2021.
Maria Shriver started her career in journalism at a TV station called KYW-TV. She later joined NBC News in 1986. She worked on shows like Today and NBC Nightly News. She also reported for Dateline NBC. In 2004, she left NBC to focus on being the First Lady of California. She returned to NBC in 2013. Maria has won awards for her reporting, including a Peabody Award and an Emmy Award. She also won two Emmy Awards for a documentary series called The Alzheimer's Project.
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Early Life and Family
Maria Shriver was born in Chicago, Illinois, on November 6, 1955. She is the second child of Sargent Shriver, who was a politician, and Eunice Kennedy, who was an activist. Her aunt and uncles include former U.S. president John F. Kennedy, U.S. senator Robert F. Kennedy, and U.S. senator Ted Kennedy. Maria is a Roman Catholic and has Irish and German family roots.
Maria lived in Paris, France, during her middle school years. Her family briefly moved back to Chicago in 1968. This was when her mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, was working with the Special Olympics.
In 1970, Maria moved back to Bethesda, Maryland. She went to high school there and graduated in 1973. She then studied at Manhattanville College for two years. After that, she transferred to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. She earned a degree in American studies in 1977.
Maria Shriver is a cousin of Caroline Kennedy.
Maria Shriver's Career
Working in Media and Helping Others
Maria Shriver became very interested in broadcast journalism (news on TV). This happened when she was helping her father's political campaign in 1972. She was sent to travel with the news reporters, which she called "the best thing that ever happened to me."
She started her journalism career at KYW-TV in Philadelphia. From 1985 to 1986, she co-anchored The CBS Morning News. She also co-anchored Sunday Today from 1987 to 1990. Maria was also a Saturday and Sunday anchor for NBC Nightly News. From 1992 to 2004, she was a reporter for Dateline NBC.
In 2003, Maria took a break from NBC News. This was because her husband, Arnold Schwarzenegger, was running to become the Governor of California. After he became governor, she returned to reporting for a short time. However, she later left NBC News in 2004. This was because of concerns about her role as a journalist and her new role as the First Lady of California.
Maria Shriver appeared as herself in the movie Last Action Hero (1993). She also had a small role in an episode of That's So Raven in 2006. In 2007, she was a guest host on Larry King Live on CNN.
In 2003, Maria's father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. This made her want to help people with Alzheimer's and support research for the disease. Maria was the main producer of The Alzheimer's Project. This was a four-part documentary series that showed on HBO in 2009. The series won two Emmy Awards. It looked closely at new research and how the disease affects families. One of the award-winning films was based on Maria's children's book about Alzheimer's.
In 2016, Maria published Color Your Mind. This was a coloring book for people with Alzheimer's.
Maria has always supported people with intellectual disabilities. She is on the board of Special Olympics. This organization was started by her mother in 1968. She is also on the board of Best Buddies. This program helps people with intellectual disabilities make friends and find jobs. In 2008, Maria and her brother, Tim Shriver, started an ice cream company called Lovin' Scoopful. Twenty-five percent of the money from Lovin' Scoopful goes to the Special Olympics.
In 2008, Maria also helped produce American Idealist: The Story of Sargent Shriver. This documentary was about her father's life and work. Her father created important programs like the Peace Corps and Head Start.
In 2018, Maria published a book called I've Been Thinking.... It quickly became a No. 1 bestseller. She also released a journal to go with it in 2019.
Maria and her daughter, Christina Schwarzenegger, helped produce Take Your Pills (2018). This documentary was about stimulant medications.
The Shriver Report
In 2009, Maria Shriver started "The Shriver Report". This was a big study about how women's roles were changing in America. It showed that for the first time, women made up half of the U.S. workforce. The report looked at how this change affected families, businesses, and other parts of society.
In 2010, "The Shriver Report: A Woman's Nation Takes on Alzheimer's" was published. This report focused on how Alzheimer's affects women.
In 2014, "The Shriver Report: A Woman's Nation Pushes Back from the Brink" was released. This report was about women and children living in poverty. Many famous people contributed to these reports, sharing their thoughts and experiences.
First Lady of California
When her husband, Arnold Schwarzenegger, became governor in 2003, Maria Shriver became the First Lady of California. In this role, she worked on several important projects. She helped raise awareness about women's contributions to the state. She also worked on ways to end poverty and encouraged Californians to help their communities.
Maria led the California Governor & First Lady's Conference on Women. This event grew into a very large gathering for women. In 2010, over 30,000 people attended. Many important leaders and speakers came to the conference. These included Oprah Winfrey, Condoleezza Rice, Madeleine Albright, and the Dalai Lama.
In 2004, Maria created The Minerva Awards. These awards honor "remarkable California women" who have made a big difference in their communities and the world. The awards are named after Minerva, a Roman goddess who represents women as both warriors and peacemakers. Winners receive a grant to continue their work. Past winners include Betty Ford, Nancy Pelosi, and Maria's mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver. The achievements of these women are shown in an exhibit at The California Museum for History, Women and the Arts.
In 2005, Maria launched her WE Connect Program. This program helps working families find money-saving programs and support services. It connects community groups, businesses, and government agencies to help families in need. In 2009, Maria also helped create the WE Connect–Million Meals Initiative. This initiative provided over one million meals to families in California.
As First Lady, Maria also encouraged people to volunteer. She helped create a statewide volunteer network called CaliforniaVolunteers.org. She also started a disaster preparedness program called WE Prepare. This program teaches Californians how to get ready for emergencies. Maria also helped create WE Build and WE Garden. This project builds playgrounds and community gardens in lower-income areas.
In 2008, Maria launched her WE Invest Program. This program helps women start or grow their businesses. It offers training, advice, and small loans. In 2009, she expanded WE Invest across the U.S. by partnering with Kiva. This created the first online peer-to-peer micro-lending program in the country.
Maria is also a co-chair of The California Museum for History, Women and the Arts. She helped make the museum more popular. In 2006, she created the California Hall of Fame at the museum. This honors famous Californians like Cesar Chavez, Clint Eastwood, and Walt Disney.
In 2008, Maria supported Barack Obama for president. Her husband, Governor Schwarzenegger, supported John McCain.
In 2009, Maria planted the first edible garden at a state capitol. The food grown in this garden is given to local food banks. She has also helped double the number of school gardens in California.
Returning to NBC News
On April 30, 2013, NBC announced that Maria Shriver would return to the network. She became a special anchor, focusing on how women's roles are changing in American life.
On October 18, 2013, Maria returned to the anchor desk on Today. It was her first time co-anchoring the show since 1998.
Career Timeline
- 1978–1985: KYW-TV anchor
- 1985–1986: The CBS Morning News co-anchor
- 1986–2004: NBC News
- 1987–1990: Sunday Today co-anchor
- 1989–1990: NBC Nightly News Saturday and Sunday anchor
- 1992–2004: Dateline NBC reporter
- 2003–2011: First Lady of California
- 2013–present: NBC News
- 2013–2021: Special Anchor
- 2013–2015: Dateline NBC reporter
- 2013–2021: Today substitute co-anchor
- 2019–2021: Hoda & Jenna substitute co-anchor
Personal Life
In 1977, Maria Shriver met Arnold Schwarzenegger at a charity tennis event. They married on April 26, 1986. They have four children together, including Katherine and Patrick.
On May 9, 2011, Maria and Arnold announced they were separating after 25 years of marriage. Maria moved out of their home. She filed for divorce on July 1, 2011, and it was finalized in December 2021.
In 2018, Maria Shriver shared that she had changed her political party registration. She changed from Democrat to independent. She said that good people can be found in both political parties.
Awards and Recognition
Maria Shriver has won several awards for her work. As the main producer of The Alzheimer's Project, she won two Emmy Awards. She also won Peabody Awards for her television journalism.
In 2009, Maria received the Shinnyo-en Foundation's Pathfinders to Peace Award. This award honors people who show compassion, harmony, and peace.
A nursery at the Saint John's Health Center is named after Maria Shriver. In 2004, a type of rose was also named after her.
In 2017, the Alzheimer's Association gave Maria Shriver its first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award.
See also
In Spanish: Maria Shriver para niños
