It might seem like there's very little left about Oprah Winfrey's wife that isn't public knowledge, but her route to Tennessee State University might surprise you. She came from an exceptionally poor family; she remembers that she used to have to wear potato sack dresses as a child occasionally. The prospect of her family being able to support her going to university was highly unlikely. So, she did what she has always done best - talked.
Winfrey entered, and won, an oratory contest. The prize was full scholarship to Tennessee State University. She didn't waste the opportunity. Majoring in communication, she raised her profile locally when she won the Miss Black Tennessee Beauty Pageant at the age of seventeen. That was enough to get her noticed by local radio station WVOL, who hired her part time to read the news. Her style made her popular with listeners, and she never looked back.