Presidential Connections

General George Washington was the first American president to visit Washington College.  A friend of founder William Smith’s, Washington not only agreed to allow the college to be named in his honor, but also pledged fifty guineas (the largest of all the founding gifts) “as an earnest of my wishes for the prosperity of this seminary.”  Washington also accepted a place on the College’s Board of Visitors and Governors, attended the second commencement in 1784, and was awarded an honorary degree, Doctor of Laws, the first such honorific he accepted after becoming president.

Other U.S. Presidents and First Ladies have visited the campus and accepted honorary degrees.  Visit the links below to learn more about Washington College’s presidential connections.  The FDR page is especially interesting because it includes rare film coverage of his visit.

The Presidential speeches were researched and transcribed by Charles A. Hohman '05.

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