The House of Ronald Reagan

Q&A with President David Dantzler

Houses at The King’s College are student-led, mission-driven communities. They serve as social, academic, and spiritual support for students at King’s. Each House is led by four elected students and guided by faculty and staff advisors. In recent years, Houses have become even more critical to student life as the size of the student body has grown rapidly.

The House of Ronald Reagan is one of ten houses at The King’s College. The House of Reagan “equips and encourages members to be God fearing men of integrity who take calculated risks while persevering in pursuit of a significant life.”

The mission is inspired by Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States and now a hero of American Conservatism. During his time as president, Reagan displayed remarkable moral clarity in his public assessment of the Soviet Union as an “evil empire,” and also audacity in his implementation of supply-side economic policies.

Below is a Q&A with David Dantzler, the 2012-2013 president of the House of Ronald Reagan.

Q. How would you describe the basic character of your house?

A. Reagan takes its traditions pretty seriously—from the Reagan blazers to House History—but traditions are pointless without the legacy of what formed those traditions. We take our traditions seriously because we love the guys in our house; not only current Reaganites, but members past and future. I think the character of the house is a bit prideful from time to time, but we really just try to do anything to bring the guys together.

Q. What was it that brought you into house leadership?

A. I think I’m in house leadership almost entirely because some guys in the house asked me to be. I never thought I would be president, but one thing led to another and here I am. I’m really excited for this next year and think we’re going to have a great time.

Q. What do you hope that your house, and the house system in general, accomplishes for students during their time at King's?

A. I think the purpose of the house system is to make folks feel at home when they come to school at King’s. It gives them a home away from home in, what is for many, a big new city. It’s a body of people to help them get settled in, talk to and be there for them, and have fun doing life together. Competition is fun too, of course, but it comes second to community.

Q. What will you focus on this year at King's as house president?

A. I hope to do the same thing my predecessors have done, help the house have a good time, and to do so in Reagan fashion.

Q. Is there any kind of city engagement focus for your house this year?

A. The service projects for this year are still being discussed among the exec team, but will depend largely on our freshmen class and their involvement. On the TKC Men's Basketball team, we visit youth detention centers in the New Jersey area to play basketball with the kids and speak to them about character development. My plan is to try to borrow this concept and apply it to the house—spending time with those kids who need us most.

Q. Are there any other unique characteristics about your house that you would like to highlight?

A. Reagan has a distinct presence within the house system. It is, how shall I say, better. We’re the house with a target painted on our chest. I’m not sure why, though I think it may have something to do with our good looks, debonair style, and unwavering humility. You see, there is the House of Ronald Reagan… and then there is everyone else.

~~~ The King’s College educates students in the ideas upon which nations rise and fall. With a focused curriculum in the liberal arts tradition, students are prepared to help shape, and eventually to lead, the institutions of government, civil society, media, law, business, education, the arts, and the church. King’s is a Christian college located in New York City.

For more information about The King's College please contact: Matthias Clock
Communications Coordinator
212.659.3602