Malia Obama has officially entered Elle Woods territory.
The 19-year-old eldest daughter of former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama was spotted with her family as they helped her move into a Harvard University dorm on the college's campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts Monday. A passe- by posted a video of the U.S. leader on Facebook.
This will mark Malia's freshman year at the Ivy League school, where classes begin next week, and her major has not been revealed. The former president's daughter had recently spent a gap year traveling and working as an intern at the Weinstein Company film studio, which had followed past stints working on the set of Girls and the Halle Berry series Extant, and the U.S. Embassy in Spain.
Malia was spotted outdoors Tuesday chatting with a group of other students and sipping water while standing near a brick building as a Run the Jewels song wafted from a nearby speaker system, The Boston Globe reported. Nobody tried to get her attention and no phones came out and she declined an interview while returning a handshake, the newspaper said.
Malia, who is set to graduate in 2021, joins a distinguished line of past famous Harvard students.
Ciara
The Beauty Marks artist was accepted into the university's prestigious business school and will partake in their Business of Entertainment, Media and Sports program.
Jazz Jennings
The I Am Jazz star began her Harvard studies in fall 2021 after deferring admission two years earlier to focus on her mental health. In May 2025, she walked in the school's spring commencement ceremony.
"I am deeply grateful to my family, friends, mentors, and everyone who believed in me, supported me, and encouraged me to keep going—especially during the most challenging moments," she wrote on Instagram. "Cheers to graduating and ONE more semester to go!"
B.J. Novak
English and Spanish literature was the field of choice for The Office star, who graduated from the university in 2001.
Aoki Lee Simmons
Believe it or not, the daughter of Kimora Lee Simmons and Russell Simmons got accepted into Harvard's class of 2023 at the age of 16.
Malia Obama
The former First Daughter began her freshman year in August 2017.
Conan O'Brien
The late-night talk show host graduated from the university magna cum laude in 1985 with bachelor degrees in literature and history.
Natalie Portman
The Oscar winner graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology.
Matt Damon
The actor attended Harvard in the late '80s and early '90s but dropped out to pursue his acting career. While at Harvard, he wrote an early treatment of the screenplay for Good Will Hunting for a class assignment. He and co-writer and co-star Ben Affleck received an Oscar for their finished screenplay in 1998.
Ashley Judd
In 2010, the A-list actress and advocate obtained master's degree in public administration from the prestigious school.
Mark Zuckerberg
The Facebook CEO and co-founder co-launched what is now known as Facebook from his Harvard dorm room in 2004. He dropped out of the university his sophomore year to concentrate on the project. His story inspired the movie The Social Network.
Rashida Jones
More than 10 years before she joined the cast of Parks and Recreation, the actress became Harvard grad.
Barack Obama & Michelle Obama
The former President of the United States graduated magna cum laude and obtained a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School in 1991. The former First Lady received a J.D. degree from Harvard Law School three years prior.
Colin Jost
The Saturday Night Live comedian served as the president of the Harvard Lampoon.
Rivers Cuomo
The Weezer frontman graduated cum laude from the university with a Bachelor of Arts in English in 2008. He completed his degee gradually over the years, having dropped out before.
Wallace Shawn
The Princess Bride actor obtained a bachelor's degree in history in 1965. And he still didn't win the Battle of the Wits.
Tommy Lee Jones
The actor graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in English in 1969. Al Gore was his roommate.
Al Gore
The former Vice President of the United States graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in government in 1969.
The list includes Natalie Portman, who graduated from the university in 2003 with a bachelor of arts degree in psychology. The Oscar winner went on to take graduate courses at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and later worked as a guest lecturer in terrorism and counterterrorism at Columbia University.
Conan O'Brien graduated magna cum laude from Harvard in 1985. He obtained bachelor's degrees in literature and history. The name of his thesis was "Literary Progeria in the Works of William Faulkner and Flannery O'Connor." During his time in school, O'Brien served as the president of the humor publication The Harvard Lampoon.
He went on to become a comedy writer before he became a late-night talk show host. He wrote for shows such as SNL and The Simpsons, which has employed many writers who went to Harvard, which spurred an inside joke about it on the season four episode The Front.