Dear AU community,

The spring semester is in full swing and spring weather, and warm afternoons on the quad with the campus in full bloom aren’t too far away. It’s been a busy, invigorating first two months of 2026, and I hope that the message of peace, compassion, and unity that the Buddhist monks (and their dog Aloka) brought to campus earlier this month instilled a new sense of hope and promise. It was truly an honor to be part of the 2026 Walk for Peace, and I want to thank the AU staff, faculty, and students who came together to help showcase the best of American University. 

The 250+ at American initiative is also off to a great start – thank you to Professors Elizabeth Rule and Sauleh Siddiqui from the College of Arts and Sciences for joining me last week to kick off the Engaged Scholarship in a Changing World series. The stories they shared about  their scholarship and teaching, which includes innovative, collaborative, and impactful approaches to some of our world’s most challenging problems, made me proud to be part of this Eagle community.

Coming up, I’ll be hosting 250+ at American presidential conversations with two remarkable Eagle alumni. Tomorrow evening, I will be joined by David Aldridge (SOC/BA ’87), a senior columnist with The Athletic, to discuss his groundbreaking career as a sports journalist, the future of media, and of course, basketball! Register here to be part of this valuable conversation.

Next Wednesday (March 4), Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III (CAS/BA ’74, CAS/MA ’76) will join me for a conversation about his inspiring career as the founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture and 14th Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, and his thoughts on the commemoration our nation’s semiquincentennial. Register today to engage with one of the leading voices in public history at a pivotal time in our nation’s history.

And, our 2026 250+ at American Sine Institute fellows continue their seminars this week. María Teresa Kumar, who founded and leads Voto Latino, will be joined by U.S. Rep Joaquin Castro, D-Tex, for a conversation about how Latino communities help shape American democracy, at noon on Wednesday.

I hope to see you at these events and more as we continue to reflect on our nation’s past, engage in the present, and imagine the future. 

Sincerely,

Jonathan R. Alger
President, American University