Joe and Jill Biden return to familiar tradition as rare new photos show them serving up ice cream with students

The Bidens joined students at the University of Delaware as the new school year got underway, with photos showing the former president and first lady surrounded by members of the campus community. The setting carries a personal connection for the couple. Joe Biden attended the University of Delaware as an undergraduate, while the university's public policy school is named for the 46th president. Biden said he and Jill were “thrilled to welcome students back” and chose what he described as the best way they knew how: an ice cream social.

One of the newly shared photos showed Biden holding a cup of chocolate ice cream as he chatted with students. It was a familiar sight for anyone who followed Biden through his years as vice president and president. His fondness for ice cream repeatedly became part of his public image, with photographers capturing him stopping at ice cream shops and enjoying cones during political trips and campaign appearances.

One of the photos showed Jill Biden as she interacted with students during the gathering. The former first lady has her own longstanding connection with the University of Delaware. She earned bachelor's and doctoral degrees from the university, making the campus a familiar setting for both Bidens.

The lighthearted gathering comes during a markedly different chapter of Biden's post-presidential life. Biden was diagnosed in May 2025 with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had already spread to his bones. Since then, treatment and time with family have become significant parts of his life outside the White House. Earlier this month, Biden offered an update of his own, saying the radiation treatment he underwent last fall had “worked as intended” and that doctors had helped control his cancer. He said he continued doing things important to him, including finishing his upcoming memoir. The University of Delaware gathering therefore provides a recent look at one of the public activities Biden has continued while undergoing ongoing care.