Ronald W. Reagan Presidential House

Have you heard of a presidential house that isn’t a traditional home? Right here at Florida International University, we have the Ronald W. Reagan Presidential House. It’s a unique blend of official function and residential living. The Ronald W. Reagan Presidential House isn’t your typical presidential home. It’s a 12,700-square-foot structure designed in a distinct U-shape. It was originally called University House. It was renamed in 2007 to honor the 40th president of the United States. The renaming was part of a bill passed by the Florida Legislature that named several buildings across the State University System. The bill was actually sponsored by an FIU alumnus, David Rivera, who graduated in 1996 and served as a state representative. The Ronald W. Reagan Presidential House serves a dual purpose. The ground floor is a bustling events center for the university. It hosts all kinds of gatherings for faculty, students, and alumni. The upper floor is a residence for the university president and their family. The house has welcomed some quite distinguished visitors. These include prominent figures like the Dalai Lama, former Colombian president Alvaro Uribe, and Vaclav Havel, the first president of the Czech Republic. So while not a typical house museum filled with presidential artifacts, the Ronald W. Reagan Presidential House offers a glimpse into a different side of presidential legacy. It shows how a president’s name can be used to inspire a university community and its future leaders.