Editing Jeff Bezos (section)

== Early life and education ==
Bezos was born "Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen" on January 12, 1964, in [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/2020/01/12/UPI-Almanac-for-Sunday-Jan-12-2020/8721578623716/|title=UPI Almanac for Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020|work=[[United Press International]]|date=January 12, 2020|access-date=June 27, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113032052/https://www.upi.com/Top_News/2020/01/12/UPI-Almanac-for-Sunday-Jan-12-2020/8721578623716/|archive-date=January 13, 2020|quote=Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos in 1964 (age 56)}}</ref> to [[Jackie Bezos|Jacklyn]] (''née'' Gise) and [[Ted Jorgensen]].<ref>Robinson (2010), pp. 14, 100</ref> At the time of his birth, his mother was a 17-year-old high-school student and his father was 19.<ref>Robinson (2010), pp. 14–15</ref> Ted was a [[Danish Americans|Danish American]] unicyclist<ref name=":12">[[Brad Stone (journalist)|Brad Stone]], (2013). ''[[The Everything Store]]''. United States: [[Little, Brown and Company|Little, Brown]]. {{ISBN|978-0-316-21926-6}}</ref> born in Chicago to a family of Baptists.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t95iRvivDHIC&dq=%22jeff+bezos%22+%22baptists%22&pg=PT139|isbn=978-0-316-21925-9|title=The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon|date=October 15, 2013|publisher=Little, Brown|access-date=March 19, 2023|archive-date=August 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230807120541/https://books.google.com/books?id=t95iRvivDHIC&dq=%22jeff%20bezos%22%20%22baptists%22&pg=PT139|url-status=live}}</ref> After completing high school despite challenging conditions, Jacklyn attended night school, bringing her baby with her.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Clifford |first1=Catherine |title=Jeff Bezos's single teen mom brought him to night school with her when he was a baby |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/14/jeff-bezoss-single-teen-mom-brought-him-to-night-school-with-her.html |publisher=[[CNBC]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128051520/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/14/jeff-bezoss-single-teen-mom-brought-him-to-night-school-with-her.html |archive-date=January 28, 2021 |language=en |date=June 14, 2019 |quote=Condition one, I had to arrive and depart [high] school within five minutes of the starting and finishing bells. Condition two, I could not talk to other students. Condition three, I couldn’t eat lunch in the cafeteria. Condition four, I was told I would not be allowed to walk across the stage with my classmates to get my diploma |url-status=live}}</ref> Jeff attended a [[Montessori education|Montessori]] school in Albuquerque when he was 2.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/angelauyeung/2020/10/14/why-some-locals-are-miffed-about-jeff-bezos-free-preschool-near-seattle/ Why Some Locals Are Skeptical About Jeff Bezos' Free Preschool Near Seattle] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201040627/https://www.forbes.com/sites/angelauyeung/2020/10/14/why-some-locals-are-miffed-about-jeff-bezos-free-preschool-near-seattle/ |date=February 1, 2022 }}, Forbes, October 14, 2020</ref>

Ted struggled with alcohol and with his finances.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stone |first=Brad |author-link=Brad Stone (journalist) |date=October 10, 2013 |title=The Secrets of Bezos: How Amazon Became the Everything Store |language=en |publisher=[[Bloomberg News]] |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-10-10/jeff-bezos-and-the-age-of-amazon-excerpt-from-the-everything-store-by-brad-stone |access-date=March 27, 2023 |archive-date=December 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216112035/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-10-10/jeff-bezos-and-the-age-of-amazon-excerpt-from-the-everything-store-by-brad-stone |url-status=live }}</ref> Jacklyn left her husband to live with her parents, filing for divorce in June 1965 when Jeff was 17 months old.<ref>{{cite book |last=Stone |first=Brad |authorlink=Brad Stone (journalist) |year=2013 |title=[[The Everything Store]] |publisher=[[Little, Brown and Company|Little, Brown]] |isbn=978-0-316-21926-6}}</ref> After his parents divorced, his mother married [[Cuban Americans|Cuban immigrant]] [[Miguel Bezos|Miguel "Mike" Bezos]] in April 1968.<ref>Robinson (2010), pp. 14, 18</ref> Shortly after the wedding, Mike adopted 4-year-old Jeff, whose surname was then legally changed from Jorgensen to Bezos.<ref>Robinson (2010), p. 15</ref> Jacklyn, her husband, and her son left the area and asked Ted to discontinue contact, to which he agreed.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Barr |first=Alistair |date=October 10, 2013 |title=Bike shop owner discovers he's father of Amazon founder |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/10/10/bezos-amazon-biological-father/2959633/ |access-date=March 27, 2023 |newspaper=[[USA Today]] |language=en-US |archive-date=March 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230327035136/https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/10/10/bezos-amazon-biological-father/2959633/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

After Mike received his degree from the [[University of New Mexico]], the family moved to [[Houston]], Texas, so that he could begin working as an engineer for [[Exxon]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Family of Voices: Miguel Bezos |url=https://americanhistory.si.edu/family-voices/individuals/miguel-bezos |website=[[National Museum of American History]] |date=March 16, 2017 |access-date=April 6, 2022 |language=en |archive-date=December 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201224193058/https://americanhistory.si.edu/family-voices/individuals/miguel-bezos |url-status=live }}</ref> Jeff attended [[River Oaks Elementary School (Houston)|River Oaks Elementary School]] in Houston from fourth to sixth grade.<ref>Robinson (2010), p. 18</ref> Jeff's maternal grandfather was Lawrence Preston Gise, a regional director of the [[United States Atomic Energy Commission|U.S. Atomic Energy Commission]] (AEC) in Albuquerque.<ref>Robinson (2010), p. 16</ref>

Lawrence retired early to his family's ranch near [[Cotulla, Texas]], where his grandson would spend many summers in his youth<ref>Robinson (2010), p. 17</ref> and which he would later purchase and expand from {{convert|25000|acre|ha|0}} to {{convert|300000|acre|ha|0}}.<ref name=Frank>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/15/business/media/jeff-bezos-amazon-rich-charity.html |title=At Last, Jeff Bezos Offers a Hint of His Philanthropic Plans|last=Frank|first=Robert |date=June 15, 2017|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|issn=0362-4331|access-date=March 8, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180309054205/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/15/business/media/jeff-bezos-amazon-rich-charity.html |archive-date=March 9, 2018}}</ref><ref name="parkhurst2015">{{cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/morning_call/2015/08/jeff-bezos-just-sold-534-million-worth-of-amazon.html |title=Jeff Bezos just sold $534&nbsp;million worth of Amazon stock|last=Parkhurst|first=Emily |date=August 5, 2015|website=[[Puget Sound Business Journal]]|access-date=August 5, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150807183402/http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/morning_call/2015/08/jeff-bezos-just-sold-534-million-worth-of-amazon.html |archive-date=August 7, 2015}}</ref> Jeff displayed scientific interests and technological proficiency and once rigged an electric alarm to keep his younger half-siblings out of his room.<ref>Robinson (2010), p. 19</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.achievement.org/achiever/jeffrey-p-bezos |title=Biography and Video Interview of Jeff Bezos at Academy of Achievement|publisher=Achievement.org|access-date=April 1, 2019|url-status=live|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190306162238/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/jeffrey-p-bezos/ |archive-date=March 6, 2019}}</ref> The family moved to [[Miami]], Florida, where Jeff attended [[Miami Palmetto High School]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article1953866.html |title=Jeff Bezos: A rocket launched from Miami's Palmetto High|last=Yanez|first=Luisa |date=August 5, 2013|newspaper=[[Miami Herald]]|access-date=February 11, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180212084027/http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article1953866.html |archive-date=February 12, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wired.com/1999/03/bezos-3 |title=The Inner Bezos|last=Bayers|first=Chip |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|access-date=February 11, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180212083431/https://www.wired.com/1999/03/bezos-3/ |archive-date=February 12, 2018}}</ref> In high school, he worked at [[McDonald's]] as a short-order [[Chef de partie|line cook]] during the breakfast shift.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/42412/face-time-jeff-bezos |title=Face Time With Jeff Bezos|last=Fishman|first=Charles |date=January 31, 2001|magazine=[[Fast Company]]|access-date=April 16, 2018|archive-date=April 17, 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180417105518/https://www.fastcompany.com/42412/face-time-jeff-bezos |url-status=live}}</ref>

Bezos attended the Student Science Training Program at the [[University of Florida]]. He was high school [[valedictorian]], a [[National Merit Scholarship Program|National Merit Scholar]],<ref name="Robinson 2010, p. 24" /><ref name="st20120331">{{cite news|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2017883721_amazonbezos25.html |title=Amazon.com's Bezos invests in space travel, time|last=Martinez|first=Amy |date=March 31, 2012|access-date=August 10, 2013|newspaper=[[The Seattle Times]]|archive-date=July 2, 2012|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120702232441/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2017883721_amazonbezos25.html |url-status=live}}</ref> and a [[Silver Knight Award]] winner in 1982.<ref name="Robinson 2010, p. 24">Robinson (2010), p. 24</ref> In his graduation speech, Bezos told the audience that he dreamed of the day when mankind would [[Space colonization|colonize space]]. A local newspaper quoted his intention "to get all people off the earth and see it turned into a huge national park".<ref>{{cite news|last=Foer|first=Franklin |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/11/what-jeff-bezos-wants/598363 |title=Jeff Bezos's Master Plan|work=[[The Atlantic]] |date=November 1, 2019 |access-date=October 10, 2019|archive-date=October 10, 2019|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191010193219/https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/11/what-jeff-bezos-wants/598363/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

After graduating from high school in 1982, Bezos attended [[Princeton University]]. He initially majored in [[physics]] but later switched to electrical engineering and computer science.<ref name="Inside the Mind of Jeff Bezos">{{cite news|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/50541/inside-mind-jeff-bezos-4|title=Inside the Mind of Jeff Bezos|last=Deutschman|first=Alan |date=August 1, 2004|work=Fast Company|access-date=March 7, 2018|archive-date=February 26, 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180226211555/https://www.fastcompany.com/50541/inside-mind-jeff-bezos-4 |url-status=live}}</ref>  In 2018, during a talk at [[the Economic Club of Washington, D.C.]], Bezos revealed that, some thirty years ago, his Princeton classmate [[Yasantha Rajakarunanayake]] had defeated him in solving a mathematical problem, causing him to give up on his dreams of becoming a theoretical physicist.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv_vkA0jsyo |title=Jeff Bezos At The Economic Club Of Washington (9/13/18) |date=13 September 2018 |last=CNBC |access-date=17 June 2024 |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The seeds of my success were sown in early childhood. {{!}} UNICEF Sri Lanka |url=https://www.unicef.org/srilanka/stories/seeds-my-success-were-sown-early-childhood |access-date=17 June 2024 |website=www.unicef.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wolfe |first=Sean |title=Watch Jeff Bezos tell the funny story about the moment in college he realized he 'was never going to be a great theoretical physicist' |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-moment-in-college-he-realized-would-not-be-theoretical-physicist-2018-9 |access-date=17 June 2024 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=24 September 2018 |title=Jeff Bezos wanted to be a physicist, but started Amazon after a friend showed him he wasn't smart enough |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/news/story/jeff-bezos-wanted-to-be-a-physicist-but-started-amazon-after-a-friend-showed-him-he-wasn-t-smart-enough-1347637-2018-09-24 |access-date=17 June 2024 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mihindukulasuriya |first=Regina |date=20 September 2018 |title=The Sri Lankan who solved a maths problem for Jeff Bezos & gave the world Amazon |url=https://theprint.in/economy/the-sri-lankan-who-solved-a-maths-problem-for-jeff-bezos-gave-the-world-amazon/121706/ |access-date=17 June 2024 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}</ref>

Bezos was a member of the [[Quadrangle Club]], one of [[Princeton University eating clubs|Princeton's 11 eating clubs]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.princetonquadrangleclub.com/about.html |website=Princeton Quadrangle CLub|title=About|access-date=July 13, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200714022608/https://www.princetonquadrangleclub.com/about.html |archive-date=July 14, 2020}}</ref> Additionally, he was the president of the Princeton chapter of the [[Students for the Exploration and Development of Space]] (SEDS).<ref>Robinson (2010), pp. 25–27</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.achievement.org/achiever/jeffrey-p-bezos/#interview |title=Biography and Video Interview of Jeff Bezos at Academy of Achievement|publisher=Achievement|access-date=April 7, 2019|archive-date=March 6, 2019|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190306162238/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/jeffrey-p-bezos/#interview |url-status=live}}</ref> He had a 4.2 [[Grading in education#United States|GPA]]<ref name="Inside the Mind of Jeff Bezos2">{{cite news |last=Deutschman |first=Alan |date=August 1, 2004 |title=Inside the Mind of Jeff Bezos |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/50541/inside-mind-jeff-bezos-4 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180226211555/https://www.fastcompany.com/50541/inside-mind-jeff-bezos-4 |archive-date=February 26, 2018 |access-date=March 7, 2018 |work=Fast Company}}</ref> and was elected to [[Phi Beta Kappa]] and [[Tau Beta Pi]]. Bezos graduated from Princeton in 1986 with a [[Bachelor of Science in Engineering]] (BSE), ''[[Latin honors|summa cum laude]]''.<ref>Robinson (2010), p. 26</ref>