1991年，奥巴马在哈佛大学获得了“极优等”（拉丁文的学位荣誉，magna cum laude）法学士的学位，并回到芝加哥。1994年至2002年，奥巴马分别在芝加哥森林基金会和乔伊斯基金会的董事会任职过一段时间。
He served from 1994 to 2002 on the boardof directors of the Woods Fund of Chicago, and also from 1994 to 2002 on the board of directors of The JoyceFoundation.