In 2020, Michelle Obama is heading back to college. The former First Lady is launching a new series, A Year of Firsts, that will follow four college freshmen (Robert, Linette, Regan, and Haseeb) from across the United States (Washington D.C., North Dakota, California, and Alabama) as they navigate college life.
The first major project of the decade for Obama will stream on IGTV (Instagram’s app for longer videos) beginning in mid-January, per Forbes. The six-episode series will air until the end of June and partners media company ATTN: with Obama’s Reach Higher initiative. (That program, which encourages young people to pursue higher education, began in 2014 as part of the former First Lady’s White House agenda.)
“As a first-generation college student myself, I know how intimidating it can be to take that leap and pursue your educational dreams,” Obama said in an official statement. “That’s why I’m so proud of these students. By sharing their stories, they’re helping others see that the ups and downs of the first year of college are something everyone goes through—and they’re creating a supportive community for others facing similar challenges.”
According to Forbes, the series will explore everything from financial hardships to mental health and academic stress. Obama has kept busy since leaving the White House. In 2018, she released her bestselling memoir Becoming and signed a production deal with Netflix to produce movies and TV series. The first project to emerge from that deal was the 2019 documentary American Factory, which has been a part of the awards season conversation.