Dear AU community,
Happy New Year and welcome to the first day of spring classes! As campus comes alive again after the winter break, there is a renewed sense of purpose that feels especially fitting as we embark on a year unlike any other in our university’s history.
This spring, as our nation begins to mark its 250th anniversary, we are launching 250+ at American. This uniquely AU commemoration features a campus-wide, multi-disciplinary series of programs and events designed to reflect on our nation’s past, present, and future. As the American University in the nation’s capital—founded with a mission of public service—we are uniquely positioned to lead the difficult, necessary work of preparing for a future defined by civic pluralism and a thriving democracy.
We call this effort 250+ at American because we believe this can be the beginning of a new era of democracy. I am particularly excited to engage with students, faculty, and staff and showcase AU’s teaching and scholarship as we explore how the legacies of 1776, our unalienable rights, and our democratic institutions can continue to drive innovation and progress. The research, teaching, and community engagement done here at AU that strengthen civic pluralism and help sustain our democracy will be on full display throughout the year.
Today, we are excited to release the 250+ at American slate of events for the spring 2026 semester.
The Presidential Speaker Series features notable thought leaders from an array of disciplines, including:
- David Aldridge, CAS-SOC/BA ’87, Athletic senior columnist and 2025 Washington Metro Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
- Lonnie Bunch, CAS/BA ’74, MA ’76, historian and 14th secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
- Nicholas Boggs, CAS/MFA ’09, author of the 2025 bestseller Baldwin: A Love Story
- Renée Fleming, renowned opera singer, Neuroarts pioneer, and graduate of my high school (Go Churchville-Chili Saints!)
Monthly Lunch and Learn events at each of our colleges and schools will highlight faculty and their research, service, and impact. Our first session on January 28 will feature School of International Service professors Joseph Torigian (global inquiry) and Dana Fisher (Center for Environment, Community, and Equity). Register here for the discussion and box lunch.
We will also welcome the Sine Institute for Policy & Politics 2026 fellows, who are focused on 250+ related work with students and our community. This fall, the Democracy Innovation Lab will host the 250+ at AU Solution Summit during Family Weekend.
Finally, 250+ Presents events showcase thought-provoking work across campus on topics ranging from immigration and multilingualism to baseball and whiskey.
Today’s announcement is just the start. As we develop this initiative over the coming year, we will share updates via this forum, AU Now, and the 250+ website.
My thanks go to the faculty, staff, and students who volunteered to help shape 250+ at American. This initiative proves that AU is a place where we don’t just debate ideas—we test them, engage respectfully across differences, and turn scholarship into action. By drawing on our community’s diverse perspectives, 250+ at American empowers us to apply our unique expertise to the challenges facing our democracy and our world today.
While 250+ will be a defining feature of our year, there is much more happening on campus this semester. Later this month, we’ll begin implementing our 2026–2030 strategic plan, which was built through extensive community engagement and collaborative ideas. We’re focused on preparing students for lives and careers of meaning and achievement, building community on campus and across our Washington, DC region, and putting our R1 national university research status to work through continued and expanded impactful research.
And on Friday, we’ll celebrate the opening of the Alan and Amy Meltzer Center for Athletic Performance and the Well-Being Corner. Our wrestling team will be the first Eagles to compete in the new space against Long Island University. The opening of the Meltzer Center is the culmination of our $100 million investment in student thriving, which included the renovations to the Mary Graydon Student Center and TDR. Our dedicated spaces for wellbeing and thriving will provide many opportunities that enhance the AU experience. I hope to see you on Friday!
I look forward to engaging with you in the coming weeks and months. It is an honor to walk this journey with you as we learn from our past, confront our present, and imagine our shared future—together as Eagles.
With warm regards,
Jonathan R. Alger
President, American University