Join AU’s Office of Sustainability and Center for Environment, Community, & Equity for a symposium celebrating the depth and breadth of sustainability scholarship on campus. Faculty from across campus will participate in three panel discussions sharing the relationship between sustainability and The Civic Life, Community Building, and Service. Sustainability and The Civic Life: Panelists will discuss the importance of talking about climate change and sustainability and how we can address disinformation. Sustainability and Community Building: Participants will discuss the importance of working together to create better sustainability solutions and how working together can create community and address climate anxiety. Sustainability and Service: Panelists will discuss the inequitable effects of climate change and how we can all play a role in addressing the challenge. Following the panel discussions, attendees are invited to join the Office of Sustainability staff for a Campus Sustainability Tour to learn how AU has applied our commitment to sustainability to operations across campus. American University has a deep history of demonstrating sustainability commitment and advancement. Several key milestones include AU partnered on the largest installation of a renewable energy system in the U.S. when it was installed in 2016, AU became the first University in the U.S. to achieve carbon neutrality in 2018, and AU divested from fossil fuels in 2020. At AU, we know that sustainability is inherently interdisciplinary, and this is represented by the array of courses and research conducted across disciplines. We look forward to welcoming you as we celebrate this commitment during the American University Sustainability Symposium.

Kay Spiritual Life Center welcomes everyone in our community to offer their thoughts, blessings, and prayers for President Alger as we start the inauguration events. This interbelief service features speakers and participants from a wide spectrum of beliefs and faiths as we celebrate AU’s spiritual diversity and unity of purpose in song, prayer, and words of encouragement. Rev. Eric Doolittle, University Chaplain, presides. Main address by Bishop LaTrelle M. Easterling, Baltimore-Washington/Peninsula-Delaware Episcopal Area of the United Methodist Church. 

American University Radio invites you to a special live broadcast of our nationally acclaimed program, 1A, hosted by award-winning journalist Jenn White, renowned for her insightful interviews and thought-provoking discussions. This one-hour live event offers a rare opportunity to witness firsthand how WAMU produces a daily program that leads the national conversation on the most pressing stories across the country and from around the globe. After the show, Jenn White and members of WAMU’s leadership will host a Q&A session. Doors open at 9 a.m., with seating required by 9:30 a.m. The live broadcast begins promptly at 10 a.m.

Join the AU Library for a different kind of library experience with our Human Library Event. This unique activity brings together "Human Books" – individuals with diverse stories, perspectives, and experiences – and "Readers," who engage in meaningful, one-on-one conversations. The goal? To foster understanding, challenge stereotypes, and create connections. Each Human Book represents a lived experience, from cultural backgrounds and career journeys to personal challenges and triumphs. As a Reader, you can "borrow" a Human Book for up to a 30-minute conversation. Ask questions, listen with an open mind, and explore the world through someone else’s eyes.

Join us for "Storytime with the Algers," a one-day book drive and community engagement event on Thursday, March 27, 2025, from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM. Hosted by the Center for Leadership and Community Engagement, this initiative aims to support elementary schools in underserved areas of Washington, DC, by collecting new or gently used books that inspire civic engagement, social justice, and community-building. The event will feature engaging activities, including bookmark-making, storytelling, civic engagement trivia, and opportunities to write encouraging notes for the children and educators receiving the books. Volunteers will help sort and prepare the books for delivery to partner schools, ensuring every contribution makes a meaningful impact. "Storytime with the Algers" showcases AU’s commitment to literacy, leadership, and lasting community connections. Be a part of this transformative effort to inspire the next generation of leaders and turn the page toward a brighter future. Together, we can create a lasting impact through the power of stories.

Societal Outcomes. Actionable Research. The SOAR Symposium will showcase innovative presentations and discussions focused on assessing the societal impacts of research. Experts in the field will share their insights on methodologies, challenges, and strategies for effectively conceptualizing, designing, monitoring, and evaluating research impacts. The symposium, led by Provost Associate Professor Susanna Campbell from the School of International Service, will explore critical topics such as theory of change, logic model development, action learning, participatory monitoring and evaluation, and identifying economic and societal impacts. Following the panel, participants will engage in small group discussions to delve into the themes presented and discuss ways to enhance their ability to translate research into societal benefits. This event aims to create a collaborative forum for the AU community, fostering an important dialogue and bolstering the university's leadership in the global push to enhance research for societal impact. The symposium primarily targets researchers and their partners who wish to improve their understanding of measuring societal impact. However, all members of the AU community with a keen interest in public impact research are encouraged to attend and participate in this vital conversation. 

Organized by the Office of Research and the Translating Research into Action Center 

Join us at the Terrace Dining Room (TDR) for a special dining experience featuring dishes created by Chef Damaris Phillips! This event is more than just a meal – it’s an opportunity to make a difference in our campus community as 5% of all cash, credit card, and declining balance sales will be donated to programs addressing food insecurity on campus. TDR will also match each meal swipe with a donation to Eagles Helping Eagles. 

• Here’s how you can participate:
  • Students: Make the TDR a part of your day with a meal swipe, declining balance, etc.
  • Faculty & Staff: Faculty and staff can enjoy this dining experience at a discounted rate of $10.99.
  • Guests: All are welcome! Access to the dining hall can be purchased with a cash or credit card
• Come enjoy a great meal while supporting a meaningful cause. Let’s work together to make a difference for Eagles, by Eagles!

Join American University Washington College of Law for an engaging panel discussion showcasing how President Alger and AUWCL advance the rule of law as the backbone of democracy and a vital part of civic life. The panelists will include prominent AUWCL faculty who will discuss the importance of legal scholarship, law school pedagogy, and service to the rule of law. The panel will also discuss the role U.S. legal education, and AUWCL in particular, on the global stage.

Join us for an opportunity to engage in The Civic Life at American University from 2:30 to 4 p.m. pm Thursday, March 27 in Constitution Hall. Hosted by The Civic Life initiative and President Jonathan Alger, this event will feature a future-facing panel discussion about the importance of civic education and civil discourse on university campuses, followed by roundtable discussions led by Civic Life student fellows. These conversations will allow community members to engage in the ethos of inquiry and practice their dialogue and listening skills.

AU is delighted to welcome Chef Damaris Phillips for a special Teaching Kitchen event on March 27, 2025! As a Kentucky native and winner of Food Network Star Season 9, Chef Damaris infuses her cooking with a Southern flair while inspiring creativity in the kitchen. Don’t miss this opportunity to watch her prepare one of her signature dishes while sharing expert tips and tricks to boost your kitchen confidence.

The School of Communication will host four stations – each with an expert and a hands-on innovation tied to civic life. For example, most Americans have never tried VR for civic dialog to cross lines of difference (we will have headsets). New ways to participate in civic life are emerging, and you can try them in this session. Come see how we can use interactive documentary to open new conversation about refugee camps (case study: Peabody winner by the New Yorker on participatory documentary filmmaking). Get behind the desk of a news anchor with our teleprompter, and hear how civic dialog is advanced by approaches that are informative rather than persuasive. Learn how messages from extremist groups might be “inoculated against” with careful framing on social media through a game you can try out. 

Join us for How Civil Discourse Shapes School Board Policy, a critical examination of how varied civil discourse fundamentally shapes and influences educational policy development within local governance structures; specifically, school boards. Our expert panel will explore how various forms of discourse influence local educational governance, policy development, and community engagement during challenging times. The discussion will focus on emerging political pressures, policy shifts, and their impact on students, educators, and communities in our region.