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1911: President William Howard Taft visits the USC campus. (Photo/USC Digital Archives)
University
Salute to the leaders: Presidential visits to USC, depicted in images
For future, current, and former commanders-in-chief, the journey to and from the executive mansion frequently traverses Trojan land.
While a Trojan has yet to hold the office of U.S. president, USC has experienced numerous presidential interactions — beginning on October 23, 1880, when President Rutherford B. Hayes visited the then 17-day-old university. In recognition of Presidents Day, here’s a glance at additional significant visits by U.S. leaders — both past, present, and future.
William Howard Taft
The 27th president of the United States — who subsequently served on the Supreme Court as its 10th chief justice — toured the USC campus in 1911 during a trip to Los Angeles.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
The 32nd president of the United States came to USC in 1935 during his first term; this was his inaugural visit to Los Angeles in presidential capacity. Roosevelt, alongside his spouse, Eleanor, visited the USC administration building to receive an honorary degree. His motorcade then proceeded to the Coliseum, where he delivered a speech to the gathered crowd.
Richard M. Nixon and John F. Kennedy
The 1960 electoral campaign saw two future presidents at USC as aspirants who participated in the university’s First-Time Voter Convocation.
U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy addressed an assembly of approximately 15,000 students from USC and 27 additional colleges and universities; he was elected just a week later.
A few weeks prior to Kennedy’s appearance, Vice President Richard M. Nixon addressed his supporters on campus. Nixon — whose spouse, Pat Nixon, was a USC graduate — achieved the nation’s highest position eight years later by defeating Hubert H. Humphrey in the 1968 election.
Gerald R. Ford
As the 38th commander-in-chief, Ford came to the USC campus during his 1976 campaign against
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Jimmy Carter.
A few weeks subsequent to Ford’s defeat in the election, he experienced another setback: the University of Michigan, where he had excelled in football during his collegiate years, was beaten by USC in the 1977 Rose Bowl. Ford sent a $10 note to USC President John Hubbard as a settlement for a bet concerning the match. “Honestly, I genuinely believed Michigan would triumph, but I have to concede that USC has an outstanding team,” Ford penned to Hubbard using White House stationery.
Following his tenure in office, Ford visited USC on two occasions to speak in various classes.
Ronald Reagan
Los Angeles hosted the 1984 Olympics during Ronald Reagan’s administration, and with USC deeply involved, the 40th president of the United States made a visit to the campus before formally commencing the games.
However, this wasn’t his inaugural visit to USC: In his youthful acting days, Reagan had posed for art students in a sculpture class, serving as an example of the “ideal male physique.”
Joe Biden
Only a few months into his initial term as vice president, Joe Biden and his spouse, Jill, attended USC Gould School of Law’s graduation ceremony. Biden was present to witness his nephew, Cuffe Biden Owens, be awarded his JD degree.
Barack Obama
The nation’s 44th president visited the University Park Campus in 2010. His address in front of Doheny Memorial Library — a rally preceding the November midterm elections — attracted an estimated 37,500 attendees.
Thirteen years later, he revisited USC alongside Michelle Obama for his daughter Sasha’s graduation.
George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush
George W. Bush, the 43rd president of the United States, along with former First Lady Laura Bush visited the campus in 2013 as part of the USC President’s Distinguished Lecture Series. The two addressed students, faculty, guests, and Widney Society members in a packed Bovard Auditorium. “It is a rare chance to spend this evening in the company of two individuals who have demonstrated leadership on such a global platform, at such crucial junctures in human history,” USC President C. L. Max Nikias remarked to those present.
Some 13 years prior, Bush’s father — George H.W. Bush, the 41st president of the U.S. — had been a guest of USC President Steven B. Sample as part of the same lecture series. Sample reminded the audience that President Bush was familiar with the campus: “We honored him in 1995 with a Julius Award from the USC School of Policy, Planning and Development for his remarkable bravery during World War II and his outstanding service to the American people.”
Bill Clinton
USC’s stream of former, current, and future presidents continued in late 2014 when Bill Clinton took the stage at Bovard during another installment of the President’s Distinguished Lecture Series. “I wish I could be your age,” the former president expressed to the attending students. “I would love to witness what is forthcoming. We are entering an era of extraordinary discovery … It’s going to be a marvelous time to be alive.”
This article was initially published on February 13, 2015, and has since been revised.