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From Truman to Obama, Baylor has a legacy of hosting presidents that has enabled generations of students to see history up-close. As of this writing, seven of the last 12\u00a0sitting U.S. Presidents have visited\u00a0campus<\/a> while in office. Essentially, every 10\u00a0years or so, Baylor hosts the leader of the free world — an incredible undertaking and incredible opportunity for the Baylor family to hear from the following presidents:<\/p>\n * Harry Truman (1947):<\/strong> Our nation’s 33rd president was the first to visit Baylor. He was awarded an honorary doctor of law degree<\/a> and spoke to Baylor students and faculty on issues of peace and world economics<\/a>,\u00a0less than two years after the conclusion of World War II. [Read about his visit in this 1947 Lariat<\/em> coverage<\/a>.]<\/p>\n * Dwight Eisenhower (1956):<\/strong> As the first president born in the state of Texas, it only made sense that he would visit Baylor, addressing the Class of 1956 at Spring Commencement ceremonies<\/a>. \u201cIke\u201d also addressed issues of foreign policy and affairs<\/a>. He urged Baylor students to build a better world, and to remember they come from a university that \u201cstrives to develop wisdom… and understanding of men\u2019s relationship to their fellow man in a world created for their stewardship by a God in whose image they are all made.\u201d<\/p>\n * Lyndon B. Johnson (1965):<\/strong> No U.S. president had deeper Baylor family roots than LBJ. His maternal great-grandfather, George Washington Baines<\/a>, served as the third president of Baylor University from 1861-63. LBJ was the second (and most recent) American\u00a0president born in Texas, and his Baylor visit brought him to speak at Spring Commencement<\/a>, where he was awarded an honorary doctor of law degree and recalled his mother\u2019s immense pride in being the granddaughter of a Baylor president.<\/p>\n * Gerald Ford (1976):<\/strong> President Ford interacted with students in a personal way in his April 1976 visit to Baylor<\/a>. He walked around the campus and met students and faculty along Speight Avenue, and participated in a lengthy Q&A session<\/a> at Waco Hall. Before his remarks, he recognized\u00a0legendary football coach Grant Teaff for his Baylor success; a former college football player himself, Ford had presented Coach Teaff with the Coach of the Year Award in 1974.<\/p>\n * Ronald Reagan (1988):<\/strong> President Reagan opened the then-brand new Ferrell Center<\/a> with a campaign appearance just weeks before the 1988 election. His visit culminated years of planning for the Ferrell Center, and months of hard work to prepare for his visit, as this 1988 news clip shows<\/a>. At the event, Reagan was presented with the Alumnus Honoris Causa, the highest award presented to non-alumni. (Watch the entire event<\/a> in the video below.) The campaign rally actually marked Reagan\u2019s second visit to Baylor; he also held a campaign rally at Waco Hall during his 1976 presidential bid<\/a>.<\/p>\n