Ronald Reagan Attends Eureka College

In the fall of 1928 Ronald Reagan, from Dixon, Ill., enrolled as a freshman at Eureka College.

He became an active participant in many phases of campus life, culminating in his role as president of the student body as a senior. He was destined to become a prominent motion picture star, the governor of California, and the 40th President of the United States of America.

Following the closure of the Pitney Store in late 1920, the Reagans moved to Dixon; the midwestern "small universe" had a lasting impression on Reagan. He attended Dixon High School, where he developed interests in acting, sports, and storytelling. His first job was as a lifeguard at the Rock River in Lowell Park, near Dixon, in 1926. Reagan saved 77 lives, noting that he notched a mark on a wooden log for every life he saved. After high school, Reagan attended Eureka College, where he was a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, majored in economics and sociology, and was very active in sports, including football.

Ronald Reagan enrolls as a freshman at Eureka College in Eureka, Illinois. His primary interest in attending Eureka College was that Margaret “Mugs” Cleaver, his high school sweetheart, had decided to attend college there. Ronald Reagan would become actively involved in football, track, swimming, drama, and student government during his college years.