In celebration of Presidents Day, the Georgetown University Archives is looking back on Presidential visits to the Hilltop! Throughout Georgetown’s history, a number of United States Presidents have made their way to the Hilltop for a number of occasions, including giving lectures, commencement activities, receiving honorary degrees, and more. In fact, it was quite common for U.S. Presidents in the 19th Century to attend Georgetown commencement ceremonies, not to speak or be awarded a degree but to hand out diplomas to the graduates! Below are some photographs showcasing a few of these special visits.
Warren G. Harding
Then Senator Warren G. Harding visited campus to inspect the Georgetown’s Students’ Army Training Corps (S.A.T.C.) program in 1918 during World War I. Here Senator Harding is pictured standing with Georgetown University President Alphonsus J. Donlon, S.J., on the steps of Healy Hall where he gave a brief speech.
Calvin Coolidge
In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge presented an honorary degree to Governor William S. Flynn of Rhode Island at the Georgetown University commencement ceremony. To the left of President Coolidge stands Pierce Butler, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. To his right, stands Georgetown President John B. Creeden, S.J.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
President Eisenhower received an honorary degree and spoke at the dedication ceremonies of the Edmund A. Walsh Memorial Building. He and Edmund A. Walsh, S.J., for whom the building and Georgetown's School of Foreign Service are named, were friends.
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Johnson was awarded an honorary degree and spoke at the closing convocation of the University's 175th-anniversary celebrations on December 3, 1964. John F. Kennedy had been scheduled to deliver that address. Johnson had attended Georgetown's Law School in the fall of 1934, leaving to return to Texas and marry.
Gerald Ford
Beginning with George Washington, many U.S. presidents have been received at Old North and that tradition continued when former President Gerald Ford participated in the building's rededication ceremony in 1983. The project to renovate the building so that it could house the School of Business Administration began in 1981.
Ronald Reagan
In 1988, President Ronald Reagan posed with Georgetown University President Timothy S. Healy, S.J., at the Inaugural Convocation for the Georgetown University Bicentennial celebrations.
Bill Clinton (F’1968)
In 1993, President-elect Clinton visited his alma mater as part of the pre-inaugural activities in Washington, D.C. In this photo, he is addressing the Diplomatic Corps from the steps of Old North.