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{{Short description|Private university in Washington, D.C.}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox university
 | name                   = American University
 | image                  = American University Seal.svg
 | image_upright          = .7
 | established            = {{start date and age|1893|02|24}}
 | motto                  = {{lang|la|[[Pro aris et focis|Pro deo et patria]]}} ([[Latin]])
 | mottoeng               = "For God and Country"
 | type                   = [[Private university|Private]] [[University charter#Federal|federally chartered]] [[research university]]
 | founder                = [[John Fletcher Hurst]]
 | accreditation          = [[Middle States Commission on Higher Education|MSCHE]]
 | religious_affiliation  = [[United Methodist Church]]
 | president              = [[Jonathan Alger]]
 | provost                = [[Vicky M. Wilkins]] 
 | city                   = [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]]
 | state                  = District of Columbia
 | country                = United States
 | students               = 13,019 (fall 2023)<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.american.edu/trustees/upload/american-university-presidential-search-prospectus_october-2023.pdf|title=American University Presidential Search Prospectus | publisher=American University | date=October 30, 2023 | access-date=October 30, 2023}}</ref>
 | undergrad              = 7,571 (fall 2023)
 | postgrad               = 3,613 (fall 2023)
 | other_students         = 1,835 (fall 2023)
 | campus                 = Large City,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=American&s=all&pg=5&id=131159|title=College Navigator – American University|website=nces.ed.gov}}</ref> {{convert|90|acre|ha}}
 | mascot                 = Clawed Z. Eagle
 | sporting_affiliations  = {{hlist| [[NCAA Division I]] – [[Patriot League]]|[[Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association|EIWA]]}}
 | sports_nickname        = [[American Eagles|Eagles]]
 | colors                 = {{color box|#ED193A}} Red<br />{{color box|#004FA2}} Blue<br />{{color box|white}} White
 | endowment              = $1.032 billion (2024)<ref>As of June 30, 2024. {{cite report |url=https://www.american.edu/finance/annual-report/upload/fy2024-au-financial-statements.pdf |title=American University Consolidated Financial Statements |publisher=American University|date=June 30, 2024 |access-date=December 4, 2024}}</ref>
 | academic_affiliations  = {{hlist|[[Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities|CUMU]]|[[Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area|CUWMA]]|[[Consortium for North American Higher Education Collaboration|CONAHEC]]|[[International Association of Methodist-related Schools, Colleges, and Universities|IAMSCU]]|[[National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities|NAICU]]|[[National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program|Space grant]]}}
 | coordinates            = {{coord|38.9371|-77.0869|region:US_type:edu|display=inline,title}}
 | website                = {{official url}}
 | logo                   = American University logo.svg
 | logo_upright           = .9
 | free_label             = Newspaper
 | free                   = ''[[The Eagle (American University)|The Eagle]]''
}}
[[File:AU Flag.jpg|thumb|The American University flag]]
The '''American University''' ('''AU''' or '''American''') is a [[Private university|private]] [[University charter#Federal|federally chartered]] [[research university]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], United States. Its main campus spans 90 acres (36 ha) on [[Ward Circle]], in the [[Spring Valley (Washington, D.C.)|Spring Valley]] and [[Tenleytown]] neighborhoods of [[Northwest (Washington, D.C.)|Northwest D.C.]]

American was chartered by an [[Act of Congress]] in 1893 at the urging of [[Methodism|Methodist]] bishop [[John Fletcher Hurst]], who sought to create an institution that promoted [[public service]], [[Internationalism (politics)|internationalism]], and [[pragmatic idealism]].<ref name=ActofIncorporation>{{cite web |url=http://www.american.edu/trustees/Charter.cfm|title= American University Act of Incorporation|date=December 5, 1892|work=US Congress|access-date=April 15, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{USStatute|52|160|27|476|1893|02|24|HR|10304}}</ref> The university was founded by the [[General Conference (Methodism)|General Conference]] of the [[Methodist Episcopal Church]] as a [[United Methodist Church higher education|national Methodist institution]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=AU's United Methodist Affiliation |url=https://www.american.edu/student-affairs/kay/united-methodist-affiliation.cfm |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=American University |language=en}}</ref> It remains affiliated with the [[United Methodist Church]], however, religious affiliation is not a criterion for admission, employment, nor an academic requirement. AU broke ground in 1902, opened as a [[graduate education]] institution in 1914, and admitted its first undergraduates in 1925.

AU consists of eight schools and colleges: the [[American University School of International Service|School of International Service]]; the [[American University College of Arts and Sciences|College of Arts and Sciences]]; the Kogod School of Business; the [[American University School of Communication|School of Communication]]; the School of Professional and Extended Studies; the [[American University School of Public Affairs|School of Public Affairs]]; the [[American University School of Education|Linda A. and H. Kent Baker School of Education]]; and the [[Washington College of Law]] (WCL). American offers over 160 academic programs, including 71 bachelor's degrees, 87 master's degrees, and 10 doctoral degrees, as well as [[Juris Doctor Degree|JD]], [[Master of Law|LLM]], and [[Doctor of Juridical Science|SJD]] programs. The university is [[Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education|classified]] as an "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".<ref>{{Cite web |title=American University |url=https://carnegieclassifications.acenet.edu/institution/american-university/ |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education |language=en-US}}</ref> With a student body of over 13,000 representing all 50 U.S. states and 141 countries, nearly a fifth of the students are international. Student athletes compete in intercollegiate athletic teams as the [[American Eagles]] in the [[NCAA Division I]] as a member of the [[Patriot League]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Patriot League |url=https://patriotleague.org/ |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=Patriot League |language=en}}</ref> AU is home to The Jack I. and Dorothy G. Bender Library, which holds more than one million books and is part of the [[Washington Research Library Consortium]], along with WCL's Pence Law Library.<ref>{{Cite web |title=American University {{!}} Washington Research Library Consortium |url=https://www.wrlc.org/au |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=www.wrlc.org}}</ref> American is one of the top three feeder schools to the [[United States Department of State|U.S. Department of State]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Toosi |first=Nahal |date=June 14, 2020 |title=Ivy League grads have a leg up in State Department promotions, stats show |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/14/ivy-league-grads-state-department-promotions-316531 |access-date=November 27, 2023 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}</ref>

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==History==
===Founding===
[[File:American University Glover Gate.jpg|thumb|The front gate at American University]]
[[File:American University in 1916.jpg|thumb|American University in 1916]]
American University was established in the District of Columbia by an [[Act of Congress]] on December 5, 1892, primarily due to the efforts of Methodist bishop [[John Fletcher Hurst]], who aimed to create an institution that could train future [[public servants]]. Hurst also chose the university's site, which was in the rural periphery of [[Washington, D.C.]]

After more than three decades devoted principally to securing financial support, the university was officially dedicated on May 15, 1914. Instruction began in October 1914 with 28 student enrollees, 19 of whom were graduates and the remainder special students not candidates for a degree.

===20th century===
American University's first commencement was held on June 2, 1915.

[[File:AU McKineyHall ACC.jpeg|thumb|Birthplace of Army Chemical Corps]]
During [[World War I]], the university allowed the [[U.S. military]] to use the university's grounds for testing. In 1917, the U.S. military divided American University into two segments: [[Camp Leach]] and [[Camp American University]]. Camp Leach was home to advanced research, development, and testing of modern camouflage techniques. Camp American University was an experiment station that became the birthplace of the United States' chemical weapons program and the site of chemical weapons testing.<ref name="Gordon">{{cite book |last1=Gordon |first1=Martin K. |url=https://www.nab.usace.army.mil/Portals/63/docs/SpringValley/AUES_Report_June_1994.pdf |title=Final Report: A Brief History of the American University Experiment Station and U. S. Navy Bomb Disposal School, America University |last2=Sude |first2=Barry R. |last3=Overbeck |first3=Ruth Ann |last4=Hendricks |first4=Charles |date=1994 |publisher=U. S. Army Corps of Engineers |access-date=13 April 2017}}</ref><ref name="Gross">{{cite journal|last1=Gross|first1=Daniel A.|title=Chemical Warfare: From the European Battlefield to the American Laboratory|journal=Distillations|date=Spring 2015|volume=1|issue=1|pages=16–23|url=https://www.sciencehistory.org/distillations/magazine/chemical-warfare-from-the-european-battlefield-to-the-american-laboratory|access-date=March 20, 2018}}</ref> A major cleanup effort began in the 1990s to remove chemical weapon remnants, particularly a cache of over 200 mustard-gas shells buried beneath the campus.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-11-23 |title=American University Once Had A Chemical Warfare Center |url=https://architectofthecapital.org/posts/2016/11/18/american-university-chemical-weapons |access-date=2025-05-18 |website=Architect of the Capital |language=en-US}}</ref> Additional material was located in June 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Restoration plans persist in cleanup of former World War I chemical weapons manufacturing site - The Eagle |url=https://www.theeagleonline.com/article/2024/12/restoration-plans-persist-in-cleanup-of-former-world-war-i-chemical-weapons-manufacturing-site |access-date=2025-05-18 |website=www.theeagleonline.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Spring Valley Monthly Update February 2025 |url=https://www.nab.usace.army.mil/Home/Spring-Valley/Monthly-Update/ |access-date=May 18, 2025 |website=US Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District}}</ref>

Instruction was first offered at only the graduate level, in accordance with the vision of the university's founders. This changed in 1925 with the establishment of the College of Liberal Arts (subsequently named the [[American University College of Arts and Sciences|College of Arts and Sciences]]), which offered undergraduate degrees and programs. What is now the [[American University School of Public Affairs|School of Public Affairs]] was founded in 1934,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://spa.american.edu/pages.php?ID=12 |title=The School of Public Affairs at American University |publisher=Spa.american.edu |access-date=July 23, 2012}}</ref> partly to educate future federal employees in [[public administration]].

AU's relationship with the U.S. government continued during [[World War II]], when the campus hosted the U.S. Navy Bomb Disposal School and a [[United States Naval Reserve (Women's Reserve)|WAVE]] barracks. For AU's role in these wartime efforts, the [[Victory ship]] [[SS American Victory|SS ''American Victory'']] was named in its honor.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mission & History |url=https://www.americanvictory.org/about/mission-and-history/ |access-date=2025-05-18 |website=American Victory Ship |language=en-US}}</ref>

[[File:President Kennedy American University Commencement Address June 10, 1963.jpg|thumb|President [[John F. Kennedy]] delivers the [[wikisource:A Strategy of Peace|commencement address at American University]], on June 10, 1963]]
The post-World War II-period saw considerable growth and restructuring of AU. In 1949, the university merged with the [[Washington College of Law]], which had been founded in 1896. Shortly after that, three departments were reorganized as schools: the School of Business Administration in 1955 (subsequently named the Robert P. and Arlene R. Kogod College of Business Administration and in 1999, renamed the Kogod School of Business); the School of Government and Public Administration in 1957; and the [[School of International Service]] in 1958.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}

In the early 1960s, the [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] and the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] operated the [[Federally funded research and development centers|FFRDC]] [[Project Camelot|Special Operations Research Office]] as a think-tank at American University. AU's political involvement was furthered by President [[John F. Kennedy]]'s Spring 1963 [[American University speech|commencement address]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/BWC7I4C9QUmLG9J6I8oy8w.aspx |title=Commencement Address at American University, June 10, 1963 |date=June 10, 1963 |website=John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum |access-date=March 12, 2018}}</ref> In the speech, Kennedy called on the Soviet Union to work with the United States to achieve a nuclear-test-ban treaty and to reduce the considerable international tensions and the specter of nuclear war during that juncture of the [[Cold War]].

From 1965 to 1977, the College of Continuing Education existed as a degree-granting college responsible for on- and off-campus adult-education programs. The Lucy Webb Hayes School of Nursing provided an undergraduate study in Nursing from 1965 until 1988. In 1972, the School of Government and Public Administration, the School of International Service, the Center for Technology and Administration, and the Center for the Administration of Justice (subsequently named the School of Justice) were incorporated into the College of Public and International Affairs.

The university bought the Immaculata Campus in 1986 to alleviate space problems. This would later become Tenley Campus.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Flanagan |first=Neil |last2= |title=Moving AU law school could revitalize Tenleytown |url=https://ggwash.org/view/5269/moving-au-law-school-could-revitalize-tenleytown |access-date=2025-05-18 |website=Greater Greater Washington |language=en}}</ref>

In 1986, construction on the Adnan Khashoggi Sports and Convocation Center began. Financed with $5 million from and named for Saudi Arabian Trustee [[Adnan Khashoggi]], the building was intended to update athletics facilities and provide a new arena, as well as a parking garage and office space for administrative services. Costing an estimated $19 million, the building represented the largest construction project to date but met protest by both faculty and students to the university's use of Khashoggi's name on the building due to his involvement in the international arms trade.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1987/01/11/american-u-donation-stirs-debate/a8487a86-1788-4a79-ab8f-16e02c03df43/ |title=AMERICAN U. DONATION STIRS DEBATE |last=Isikoff |first=Michael |date=January 11, 1987 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |access-date=March 12, 2018}}</ref>

In 1988, the College of Public and International Affairs was reorganized to create two free-standing schools: the School of International Service and the School of Public Affairs, incorporating the School of Government and Public Administration and the School of Justice. That same year, construction of the Adnan Khashoggi Sports Center was completed while the [[Iran–Contra affair|Iran–Contra Affair]] controversy was at its height, although his name remained on the building until after Khashoggi defaulted on his donation obligation in the mid-to-late 1990s.

[[File:Tenleytown aerial 2019.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of the American University campus, with [[Tenleytown]] in the background, in 2019]]
[[File:AmericanUniversity.jpg|thumb|American University]]In 1997, [[American University of Sharjah]], the only coeducational, liberal arts university in the [[United Arab Emirates]], signed a two-year contract with AU to provide academic management. This contract has since been extended multiple times through August 2009. A team of senior AU administrators relocated to [[Sharjah (city)|Sharjah]] to assist in the establishment of the university and guide it through the [[Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools]] accreditation process.

===21st century===
In fall 2005, the [[Katzen Arts Center]] and [[American University Museum]] opened, funded by a donation from Washington, D.C. [[philanthropists]] Dr. Cyrus and Myrtle Katzen.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-12-15 |title=The Katzen Arts Center: A Legacy |url=https://www.american.edu/cas/news/katzen-arts-center-legacy.cfm |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=American University |language=en}}</ref> The center continues to exhibit the Katzen's art collection and focuses on interdisciplinary collaboration in the arts.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Katzen Arts Center |url=https://www.american.edu/cas/katzen/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=American University |language=en}}</ref>

[[Benjamin Ladner]] was suspended from his position as president of the university on August 24, 2005, pending an investigation into possible misuse of university funds. University faculty passed votes of no confidence in President Ladner the following month.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/26/AR2005092601801.html |title=AU Faculty Members Vote No Confidence in Ladner |last1=Kinzie |first1=Susan |last2=Strauss |first2=Valerie |date=September 27, 2005 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |access-date=March 12, 2018}}</ref> One month after the faculty vote, the board of trustees decided that Ladner would not return to American University as its president.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/25/education/president-of-american-university-agrees-to-resign.html |title=President of American University Agrees to Resign |last=Janofsky |first=Michael |date=October 25, 2005 |website=The New York Times |language=en-US |access-date=March 12, 2018}}</ref> According to ''[[The Chronicle of Higher Education]]'',<ref>Page B10, November 16, 2007</ref> Ladner would receive total compensation of $4,270,665 in his final year of service, the second-highest of any university president in the nation.

[[Cornelius M. Kerwin]], a long-time AU administrator, was then appointed interim president. On September 1, 2007, Kerwin was appointed to the position permanently after two applicants declined an offer from the board of trustees.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.american.edu/president/new/biography.html |title=President-Elect Cornelius M. Kerwin biography| author=American University |year=2007 |access-date=July 20, 2007}}</ref>

Ground was broken for the new [[American University School of International Service|School of International Service]] building on November 14, 2007, and completed in 2010.<ref>{{Cite web |title=American University School of International Service |url=https://mcdonoughpartners.com/projects/american-university-school-of-international-service/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=William McDonough + Partners |language=en-US}}</ref> At the building's opening, a speech was given by then-Hawaiian Senator [[Daniel K. Inouye]].

In 2015, American University began offering an accredited, accelerated online [[Master of Business Administration|MBA]] program.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/american-university-kogod-school-of-business-to-offer-accelerated-one-year-online-mba-program-300152411.html|title=American University Kogod School of Business to Offer Accelerated One-year Online MBA Program|website=www.prnewswire.com|language=en|access-date=June 21, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://onlinebusiness.american.edu/mba/|title=Online MBA - Earn your MBA from Anywhere|access-date=June 21, 2018|language=en}}</ref>

In May 2017, Kerwin retired as AU's president.<ref name="reedretire">{{cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2016/03/28/american-university-president-neil-kerwin-to-step.html |title=American University President Neil Kerwin to step down |last=Reed |first=Tina |date=March 28, 2016 |work=Washington Business Journal |access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref> In June, shortly after leaving her position as [[United States Secretary of Health and Human Services|HHS secretary]], [[Sylvia Mathews Burwell]] was tapped to become the 15th president and the first woman to serve in that role.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Rebecca Adams |date=2017-01-26 |title=Burwell to Lead American University as President |url=https://rollcall.com/2017/01/26/burwell-to-lead-american-university-as-president/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Roll Call |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2017, [[Taylor Dumpson]] became AU's first Black female student body president. In her first full day in office, bananas were found at three places on campus, hanging from noose-like ropes, and marked with the initials "AKA," the initials of the [[Alpha Kappa Alpha]] sorority. The university considered the incident to be racist, with outgoing president Kerwin calling it a "cowardly, despicable act."<ref>Larimer, Susan (May 2, 2017) [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2017/05/02/a-cowardly-despicable-act-american-u-president-responds-to-banana-incident-on-schools-campus/ "Man who harassed black student online must deliver 'sincere' apology, renounce white supremacy"] ''[[The Washington Post]]''</ref><ref name="larimer" />

In May 2018, Dumpson would file a lawsuit against several people, including [[Andrew Anglin]], the founder of the [[neo-Nazi]] website ''[[The Daily Stormer]]''. She accused Anglin of doxing and organizing a racist and sexist trolling campaign against her.<ref>{{cite news|title=School's First Black Student President was the Target of a Racist Attack. Now she's Suing Over the 'Troll Storm' That Followed|url=http://fox40.com/2018/05/05/schools-first-black-student-president-was-the-target-of-a-racist-attack-now-shes-suing-over-the-troll-storm-that-followed/|access-date=May 17, 2018|agency=CNN|publisher=Fox 40|date=May 5, 2018}}</ref> A federal judge ordered the defendants to pay more than $101,000 in compensatory damages, $500,000 in punitive damages, and more than $124,000 in attorney's fees, and granted Dumpson a restraining order against Anglin. In December 2018, Dumpson sued another man who had harassed her. The man was required to apologize, to renounce [[white supremacy]], to stop trolling and [[doxing]] online, and to cooperate with authorities in the prosecution of white supremacists.<ref name="larimer">Larimer, Sarah (December 21, 2018) [https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2018/12/21/man-who-harassed-black-student-online-must-deliver-sincere-apology-renounce-white-supremacy/ "Man who harassed black student online must deliver 'sincere' apology, renounce white supremacy"] ''[[The Washington Post]]''</ref>

In 2019, the [[American University School of Education|School of Education]] (SOE) was separated from the [[American University College of Arts and Sciences|College of Arts and Sciences]] (CAS).<ref name="theeagleonline.com">{{Cite web|title=School of Education separates from the College of Arts and Sciences|url=https://www.theeagleonline.com/article/2019/06/school-of-education-separates|access-date=August 20, 2020|website=The Eagle|language=en}}</ref> According to then dean of SOE Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy the move was made to "encourage more students to pursue careers in education."<ref name="theeagleonline.com" /> Areas of study that students can pursue within the school include: teacher education, special education, education policy and leadership, and international education. The school is home to the Institute for Innovation in Education and the Center for Postsecondary Readiness and Success.<ref>{{Cite web|title=School of Education {{!}} American University, Washington, DC|url=https://www.american.edu/soe/|access-date=August 20, 2020|website=American University|language=en}}</ref><ref name="theeagleonline.com" />

On April 22, 2020, AU announced that it had [[Fossil fuel divestment|divested]] its endowment of [[Fossil fuel|fossil fuels]], becoming one of the first universities in the United States to completely divest of both direct and indirect fossil fuel holdings.<ref>{{Cite web|date=April 22, 2020|title=American University Eliminates All Public Fossil Fuel Investments from Its Endowment|url=https://www.american.edu/media/news/20200422-divestment.cfm|access-date=December 27, 2020|website=American University|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=BREAKING: AU announces full financial divestment from fossil fuel stocks|url=https://www.theeagleonline.com/article/2020/04/breaking-au-announces-full-financial-divestment-from-fossil-fuel-stocks|access-date=December 27, 2020|website=The Eagle|language=en}}</ref> Following a student [[referendum]] in favor of divestment, the AU board of trustees voted against divesting the endowment in 2014.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Respaut|first=Robin|date=November 21, 2014|title=American University rejects divesting its fossil-fuel assets|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-university-fossilfuel-idUSKCN0J52C120141121|access-date=December 27, 2020}}</ref> The decision to divest in 2020 came after extensive student campaigning from groups like Fossil Free AU and the undergraduate student government.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Lu|first=Mark|date=April 22, 2020|title=Fossil Free AU & AUSG: the unlikely pair that secured fossil fuel divestment|url=https://www.americanagora.org/single-post/2020/04/22/ffau-ausg-the-unlikely-pair-that-secured-fossil-fuel-divestment|access-date=December 27, 2020|website=americanagora|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> In 2020, Fossil Free AU pushed for a second student referendum on the subject, and the student government released a report on divestment, presented to the board of trustees by student comptroller Robert Zitzmann.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=February 1, 2020|title=Fossil Fuel Divestment: Environmentally Sustainable, Financially Responsible|url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gCj2nr5qcWy1fQobPyWcCaslZarEQsCt/view|website=American University Student Government}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=SG referendum supporting divestment from fossil fuel industry passes|url=https://www.theeagleonline.com/article/2020/04/sg-referendum-supporting-divestment-from-fossil-fuel-industry-passes|access-date=December 27, 2020|website=The Eagle|language=en}}</ref>

In early August 2023, Burwell announced she would be stepping down as AU's 15th president but would continue work in AU's Sine Institute for Policy and Politics.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Anderson |first=Nick |date=August 8, 2023 |title=American University president to step down after the coming school year |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/08/08/american-university-sylvia-burwell-resign/ |access-date=March 19, 2024 |work=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=A Changemaking Presidency |url=https://www.american.edu/magazine/article/a-changemaking-presidency.cfm |access-date=July 4, 2024 |website=American University |language=en}}</ref> On July 1, 2024, [[Jonathan Alger]] became AU's 16th president.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Announcing AU's 16th president |url=https://www.american.edu/trustees/presidentialsearch/ |access-date=March 18, 2024 |website=American University |language=en}}</ref> Alger named Matthew Eynon, former Associate Vice President of the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] (MIT), to lead AU's University Advancement and Strategic Planning.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Announcing our new Vice President of University Advancement |url=https://www.american.edu/president/announcements/march-24-2025.cfm |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=American University |language=en}}</ref>

In November 2024, it was reported that AU was considering restructuring its [[American University School of Education|SOE]], potentially merging it back into the [[American University College of Arts and Sciences|CAS]] or even dissolving the [[American University School of Education|SOE]] altogether, due to budget concerns.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NAICU - Amid Budget Cuts, American University May Restructure School of Education |url=https://www.naicu.edu/news-events/member-news/2024/11/amid-budget-cuts-american-university-may-restructure-school-of-education/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=www.naicu.edu}}</ref> In February 2025, longtime finance professor H. Kent Baker made an undisclosed donation, the largest individual gift in AU's history, in honor of his late wife, Linda. The Board of Trustees recognized his transformative gift by renaming the school [[American University School of Education|the Linda A. and H. Kent Baker School of Education]], a move that ultimately preserved the school's independent status.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Frank {{!}} |first=Adrienne |date=2025-02-11 |title=The Enduring Legacy of an AU Love Story: Lifelong AU Connections Inspire Historic Gift to Name the School of Education (SOE) |url=https://www.american.edu/news/The-Enduring-Legacy-of-an-AU-Love-Story-Lifelong-AU-Connections-Inspire-Historic-Gift-to-Name-the-School-of-Education-SOE.cfm |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=American University |language=en}}</ref>

==Campuses==
[[File:Eric Freidheim Quadrangle.jpg|thumb|Eric Friedheim Quadrangle]]
American University has two contiguous campuses for academics and student housing: the main campus on [[Massachusetts Avenue (Washington, D.C.)|Massachusetts Avenue]] and the East Campus on Nebraska Avenue. [[Washington College of Law]] was moved to the site of the [[Tenley Campus]] located in nearby [[Tenleytown]]. AU owns several other buildings in Tenleytown, [[Spring Valley, Washington, D.C.|Spring Valley]], East Campus in [[Wesley Heights]], and [[American University Park]] areas.

[[File:American University.webm|thumb|American University]]
The first design for the campus was done by [[Frederick Law Olmsted]]. However, it was significantly modified over time due to financial constraints. The campus occupies {{Convert|84|acre|m2}} adjacent to [[Ward Circle]], the intersection of Nebraska and [[Massachusetts Avenue (Washington, D.C.)|Massachusetts Avenues]]. AU's campus is predominantly surrounded by the affluent residential neighborhoods characteristic of the [[Northwest, Washington, D.C.|Northwest quadrant]] of Washington, D.C. The campus includes a main quadrangle surrounded by academic buildings, nine residential halls, a 5,000-seat arena, and an outdoor [[Amphitheatre|amphitheater]]. The campus has been designated a public garden and [[arboretum]] by the [[American Public Gardens Association]], which includes several [[Adventive plant|exotic plantings]] dotting the landscape.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/16/AR2008101601347.html |title=American University |date=October 17, 2008 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |access-date=December 22, 2008}}</ref>

===Tenley Campus===
{{Main|Tenley Campus}}
[[File:CapitolHallTenley.jpg|thumb|right|Capital Hall, Tenley Campus, American University]]
[[Tenley Campus]], formerly the all-girls [[Immaculata Preparatory School]], is located half a mile east of American's main campus. The university purchased the property in 1987 to serve as a [[satellite campus]] and to host the Washington Semester program.

Since 2016, [[Tenley Campus]] has housed the [[American University Washington College of Law]] (WCL). Over the years, several dormitory halls and academic buildings were renovated or replaced with modern facilities to accommodate the needs of a law school.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Campus |url=https://www.american.edu/wcl/here/our-campus/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=American University |language=en}}</ref>

As of the Class of 2023, 75% of [[American University Washington College of Law|WCL]] graduates secured jobs requiring bar passage immediately after graduation. Additionally, 82% of graduates obtained employment that either required bar passage or considered a [[Juris Doctor]] degree an advantage. Only twenty students still sought employment post-graduation.<ref>{{cite web |title=EMPLOYMENT SUMMARY FOR 2023 GRADUATES |url=https://www.wcl.american.edu/career/documents/upload/aba-employment-summary-2024.pdf |access-date=November 1, 2023 |publisher=American University Washington College of Law}}</ref>

==Academics==
The university is composed of eight divisions, referred to as colleges or schools, which house its academic programs. Except for WCL, undergraduate and graduate courses are housed within the same division, although organized into different programs. These colleges and schools are:
* [[American University College of Arts and Sciences|College of Arts & Sciences]] (CAS)
* Kogod School of Business (KSB)
* [[American University School of Communication|School of Communication]] (SOC)
* School of Education (SOE)
* [[American University School of International Service|School of International Service]] (SIS)
* School of Professional and Extended Studies
* [[American University School of Public Affairs|School of Public Affairs]] (SPA)
* [[American University Washington College of Law|Washington College of Law]] (WCL)

===Admissions and student demographics===
{| style="text-align:center; float:left; font-size:85%; margin-left:2em; margin:10px;" class="wikitable"
|+Demographics of the Student Body at American University (2023)<ref name="Common Data Set 2023-2024">{{cite web |title=Common Data Set 2023-2024 |url=https://www.american.edu/provost/oira/upload/cds_2023-2024_american-university.pdf |access-date=8 April 2025}}</ref> vs. U.S. College Students<ref>{{Cite web|title=Total fall enrollment in degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by level of enrollment, sex, attendance status, and race/ethnicity or nonresident alien status of student: Selected years, 1976 through 2018|url=https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d19/tables/dt19_306.10.asp|website=National Center for Education Statistics}}</ref>
! !! Undergraduate !! U.S. (2018)
|-
!White
| 55.7% || 55.2%
|-
! Asian
| 6.9% || 7.0%
|-
! Hispanic
| 12.6% || 19.5%
|-
!Black
| 7.8% || 13.4%
|-
!Two or More Races
|5.7%
|3.9%
|-
!American Indian
| 0.03%
|0.7%
|-
!Pacific Islander
|0.05%
|0.3%
|-
!International
| 8.1% || N/A
|-
!Unknown
| 3.1% || N/A
|-
!Male
| 36.7% || 43%
|-
!Female
| 63.3% || 57%
|}
{{Infobox U.S. college admissions
|year              = 2023
|ref               = <ref name="CDS 2019–2020">{{cite web |title=Common Data Set 2023-2024 |url=https://www.american.edu/provost/oira/upload/cds_2023-2024_american-university.pdf |website=American University |access-date=April 7, 2025}}</ref>
|change ref        = <ref name="CDS 2012–2013">{{cite web |title=Common Data Set 2012-2013 |url=https://www.american.edu/provost/oira/upload/american-university-common-data-set-2012-2013.pdf |website=American University |access-date=September 10, 2020}}</ref>
|admit rate        = 47%
|admit rate change = +6.8
|yield rate        = 26.2%
|yield rate change = -0.2

|test optional   = yes
|SAT EBRW        = 670–740
|SAT EBRW change = 
|SAT Math        = 620–710
|SAT Math change = 
|ACT             = 29–32
|ACT change      =

|top decile         = 
|top decile change  = 
|top quarter        = 
|top quarter change = 
|top half           = 
|top half change    = 
|GPA                = 
|GPA change         = 
}}
Admission to American is considered to be "more selective" by the ''[[U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking|U.S. News & World Report]]''.<ref name=USNWR>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/american-university-1434 |title=U.S. News Best Colleges: American University |magazine=U.S. News & World Report}}</ref> For the Class of 2027 (enrolling fall 2023), AU received 17,786 freshmen applications; 8,427 were admitted (47%) and 1,856 enrolled.<ref name="Common Data Set 2023-2024">{{cite web |title=Common Data Set 2023-2024 |url=https://www.american.edu/provost/oira/upload/cds_2023-2024_american-university.pdf |access-date=8 April 2025}}</ref> The middle 50% range of [[SAT]] scores were 670–740 for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and 620–710 for Math.<ref name="CDS2015">{{cite web|title=Common Data Set 2019-2020|url=https://www.american.edu/provost/oira/upload/cds_american_u_2019-20.pdf|publisher=American University}}</ref> The middle 50% range of the [[ACT (test)|ACT]] Composite score was 29–32.<ref name="CDS2015" />

=== Study abroad ===
In 2025, ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'' ranked American University 4th in study abroad programs.<ref name=":0" /> American University operates three premier programs in [[Brussels]], Belgium; [[Madrid]], Spain; and [[Nairobi]], Kenya but, also partners with universities across the globe.

===Rankings===
{{Infobox US university ranking
| ARWU_NU = 
| ARWU_W = 
| Forbes = 141
| USNWR_NU = 91
| THE_WSJ = 132
| USNWR_W = 590
| QS_W = =587
| THES_W = 601–800
| Wamo_NU = 103
}}

American University's undergraduate program was tied for 91st overall among "national universities" in ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]''{{'s}} 2025 rankings, tied for 26th in "Best Undergraduate Teaching", 38th in "Most Innovative Schools", and 114th in "Best Value Schools".<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=American University Rankings |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/american-university-1434/overall-rankings |access-date=September 25, 2023 |magazine=U.S. News & World Report}}</ref>

In 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2018, American University was named the most politically active school in the nation by ''The Princeton Review'''s annual survey of college students.<ref name="princetonreview.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.princetonreview.com/schoollist.aspx?type=r&id=732&uidbadge=%07?RDN=1 |title=AU Students Named Most Politically Active |website=Princeton Review |access-date=October 4, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150215233351/http://www.princetonreview.com/schoollist.aspx?type=r&id=732&uidbadge=%07%3FRDN%3D1 |archive-date=February 15, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings?rankings=most-politically-active-students|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181223200025/https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings?rankings=most-politically-active-students|archive-date=December 23, 2018|title=Colleges with the Most Politically Active Students|date=December 23, 2018}}</ref> In 2006, the ''Fiske Guide to Colleges'' ranked AU as a "Best Buy" college for the quality of academic offerings in relation to the cost of attendance. However, in 2013, the Daily Beast listed the school in their list of "20 Least Affordable Colleges".<ref>{{cite news|title=20 LEAST AFFORDABLE COLLEGES|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/galleries/2013/10/16/20-least-affordable-colleges-photos.html#b29a89f4-a62f-4830-b524-832f556c1949|access-date=October 23, 2013|newspaper=The Daily Beast|date=October 16, 2013}}</ref> For two years in a row, American University has had more students chosen to receive [[Presidential Management Fellows Program|Presidential Management Fellowships]] than any other college or university in the country. In spring 2006, 34 graduate and law students were chosen for the honor.<ref name="Pres">AU Presidential Search Description, inactive pdf at ''american.edu/presidential_search''. Retrieved April 2, 2007.</ref> American University routinely ranks among the top mid-sized universities for producing [[Peace Corps]] volunteers.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.peacecorps.gov/news/topcolleges/#college/5007 |title=Top Colleges 2018 |access-date=August 11, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916055934/https://www.peacecorps.gov/news/topcolleges/#college/5007 |archive-date=September 16, 2018 }}</ref>

The [[American University School of Public Affairs|School of Public Affairs]] is ranked 10th in the U.S. by ''U.S. News & World Report'' for 2023.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=U.S. News & World Report Best Public Affairs Programs |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-public-affairs-schools/public-affairs-rankings |magazine=U.S. News & World Report |access-date=September 27, 2023}}</ref>

==''Folio'' literary magazine==
{{anchor|Folio magazine}}
{{Infobox journal
| title = Folio
| cover = 
| caption = ''Folio'', 2011
| editor = 
| discipline = [[Literary journal]]
| peer-reviewed = 
| language = English
| former_names = 
| abbreviation = Folio
| publisher = American University
| country = United States
| frequency = Annual
| history = 1984-present
| openaccess = 
| license = 
| impact = 
| impact-year = 
| website = http://www.american.edu/cas/literature/folio/
| link1 = 
| link1-name = 
| link2 = 
| link2-name = 
| JSTOR = 
| OCLC = 20236678
| LCCN = 
| CODEN = 
| ISSN = 1547-4151
| eISSN = 
| boxwidth = 
| italic title = no
}}

''Folio'' is a [[literary magazine]] founded in 1984 and based at American University.<ref>''Washington Post'', April 17, 1988</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=FOLIO |url=https://www.american.edu/cas/literature/folio/ |access-date=2025-07-27 |website=American University |language=en}}</ref> It publishes fiction, [[poetry]], visual art, and [[creative nonfiction]] twice each year. ''Folio'' has printed interviews with prominent writers, most recently [[Ann Beattie]], [[Alice Fulton]], [[Leslie Pietrzyk]], [[Gregory Orr (poet)|Gregory Orr]], and [[Adam Haslett]]. Work that has appeared in ''Folio'' was short-listed for the [[Pushcart Prize]] multiple times in the 1980s. Among the notable stories that first appeared in ''Folio'' are [[Jacob M. Appel]]'s "Fata Morgana" and "Becoming Coretta Davis" by I. Bennett Capers.

==Sine Institute==
On September 24, 2018, AU President [[Sylvia M. Burwell]] announced the '''Sine Institute of Policy and Politics'''.<ref>[https://www.american.edu/news/sine-institute-announcement.cfm American University Creates the Sine Institute of Policy and Politics] American University, Washington, DC, September 24, 2018</ref> Taking advantage of AU's location in the nation's capital, the institute aims to bring together scholars, journalists, and experts from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to find common ground and bipartisan policy solutions to the nation's problems.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDADPf30bYo| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/tDADPf30bYo| archive-date=October 30, 2021|title=President Sylvia Burwell Announces Sine Institute of Policy and Politics on Morning Joe|publisher=American University|date=September 24, 2018|access-date=April 6, 2019|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The Sine Institute launched with a conversation between Burwell and Republican Senator [[Bob Corker]] of Tennessee.<ref>[https://www.american.edu/sine-institute/launch-event.cfm A Conversation with Senator Bob Corker] Sine Institute, September 25, 2018</ref>

==Library system==
{{Infobox library
| library_name = American University Library
| library_logo =
| location = Washington, D.C.
| established = 1926 as Battelle Library
| collection_size = over 1 million volumes
| pop_served = 10,000 students & 1,000 faculty
| members =
| budget =
| director = Jeehyun Davis 
| num_employees = 72 (full-time)
| website = {{URL|www.american.edu/library}}
}}

[[File:LibraryRevamp.jpg|thumb|The Jack I. and Dorothy G. Bender Library and Learning Resources Center, which sits at the top of the Eric Friedheim Quadrangle]]
The Jack I. and Dorothy G. Bender Library and Learning Resources Center is the main library facility for the campus. The University Library is part of the Washington Research Library Consortium (WRLC), which includes seven other libraries. The WRLC operates a consortium loan service between member institutions and has a shared collections site in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.

The Library's Archives and Special Collections houses unique and rare materials and information on the institution's history. The University Archives is the repository for papers and other documents, including sound recordings and photographs, spanning more than a century of the university's history. Special Collections houses rare materials.<ref>[http://www.library.american.edu/ american.edu] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060515114330/http://www.library.american.edu/ |date=May 15, 2006 }} Retrieved June 15, 2011.</ref>

==Campus life==
AU has over 150 recognized organizations on campus, ranging from political to social.

American has a Model United Nations team, ranked 1st in North America since the 2021–2022 academic year.<ref>{{Cite news |title=2021-2022 North American College Model U.N. Final Rankings (World Division) - Best Delegate Model United Nations |language=en-US |work=Best Delegate Model United Nations |url=https://bestdelegate.com/2021-2022-north-american-college-model-u-n-final-rankings-world-division/ |access-date=October 22, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lawrence |first=Toni |date=2024-05-31 |title=2023-2024 North American College Model U.N. Final Rankings (World Division) |url=https://bestdelegate.com/2023-2024-north-american-college-model-u-n-final-rankings-world-division/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Best Delegate Model United Nations |language=en-US}}</ref> The team competes actively at intercollegiate tournaments, and also hosts "AmeriMUNC" (American Model United Nations Conference) a yearly High School Model UN competition on campus.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fall 2018 North American College Model UN Rankings and Recognition |url=https://bestdelegate.com/fall-2018-north-american-college-model-un-rankings-and-recognition/ |website=bestdelegate.com |date=December 18, 2018 |publisher=Best Delegate |access-date=March 6, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=AmeriMUNC|url=https://www.amerimunc.com/amerimunc|access-date=August 20, 2020|website=AmeriMUNC VIII|language=en-US}}</ref>

American University Student Government (AUSG) is the governing body of the student population and has been ranked as the most active student government in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |title=American University ranks No. 1 for most politically active students |url=https://www.theeagleonline.com/article/2018/08/american-university-ranks-number-1-for-most-politically-active-students |access-date=July 12, 2023 |website=The Eagle |language=en}}</ref> It comprises the Undergraduate Senate and the Executive Branch. AUSG promotes advocacy and launches initiatives on campus supported by the student body.<ref>{{Cite web |title=American University Student Government |url=https://www.ausg.org/ |access-date=July 12, 2023 |website=American University Student Government |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Colleges with Most Active Student Governments {{!}} The Princeton Review |url=https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings?rankings=most-active-student-government |access-date=July 12, 2023 |website=www.princetonreview.com |language=en}}</ref>

AU has eight student-run university-recognized media organizations, including ''The Eagle'' newspaper, radio station [[WAMU#WVAU|WVAU]], the Second District Records record label, the American Literary Magazine (AmLit), and several magazines. These media organizations are governed by a Student Media Board and are funded through the university's undergraduate student activity fee.<ref>{{cite web|title=Student Media|url=http://www.american.edu/ocl/activities/Student-Media.cfm|publisher=American University|access-date=October 6, 2011}}</ref>

The university also owns [[National Public Radio]]'s flagship capital affiliate, [[WAMU]], which has been a source of nationally and internationally distributed programming such as ''[[The Diane Rehm Show]]'' and ''[[1A (radio program)|1A]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WAMU &#124; American University Radio |url=https://wamu.org/ |website=WAMU}}</ref>

===Religious life===
While AU is affiliated with the [[United Methodist Church]] and hosts the AU United Methodist Community,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aumethodists.org/about/ |title=AU United Methodist Community: About Us |publisher=AU United Methodist Chaplaincy |access-date=June 13, 2013 |archive-date=April 26, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130426082606/http://www.aumethodists.org/about/ }}</ref> AU has a variety of other religious life groups, including Catholic,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://aucatholicdc.org |title=Home |website=aucatholicdc.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008090213/https://aucatholicdc.org/ |archive-date=October 8, 2019}}</ref> Chabad Lubavitch of the AU Community,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chabadau.com/about|title=About Us|last1=Hecht|first1=Yehoshua|last2=Hecht|first2=Esti|website=ChabadAU.org|access-date=February 15, 2018}}</ref> American University Hillel,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://au.hillel.org/about-us|title=About Us|website=AU.Hillel.org|access-date=February 15, 2018|archive-date=February 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180216025934/http://au.hillel.org/about-us}}</ref> and the Jewish Student Association.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sites.google.com/a/student.american.edu/au-jewish-student-association/about-jsa |title=About JSA |publisher=American University Jewish Student Association |access-date=June 13, 2013}}</ref>

===Greek life===
American University has a Panhellenic Association (PHA), Interfraternity Council (IFC), and an Intercultural Greek Collective comprising organizations from the [[National Pan-Hellenic Council]] (NPHC), [[National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations]] (NALFO), and [[National APIDA Panhellenic Association]] (NAPA).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cCcJOX27Qpii2UQlKxJ8PYl27iHCtyMF1C5t0jD33xU/edit#gid=1069094639|title=FSL Chapter Conduct Status.xlsx|website=Google Docs|access-date=February 15, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-jvHsgyK_cUyQd_4o6tXLqAz9MlicL4rrb7cgq2BGto/edit#gid=0|title=Fraternity and Sorority Life - Fall 2017|website=Google Docs|access-date=February 15, 2018}}</ref> There are also several independent organizations.

===Sustainability===
An environmental science class at American conducted a study from February to April 2009 to measure the amount of [[food waste]] avoided by eliminating trays from one of the college's dining halls. The class found that trayless dinners resulted in 47.1% less solid waste than dinners during which trays were used, spurring a student-driven campaign to go trayless across campus.<ref name="News Release">{{cite web| title =News Release: American University Environmental Science Department Finds Cafeteria Waste Reduction in Trayless Study| publisher =American University Department of Environmental Science
| url =http://academic3.american.edu/~hayesd7/AU_Food_Waste_Research_Press_Release.htm | access-date = June 8, 2009 }}</ref>

In 2011, the [[Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education]] (AASHE) awarded American University a gold rating, the highest possible, on their STARS scale for sustainability. Since then, American University has earned five consecutive gold ratings, the most recent in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|title=American University {{!}} Institutions {{!}} STARS Reports|url=https://reports.aashe.org/institutions/american-university-dc/report/|access-date=September 1, 2020|language=en-US}}</ref>

Also in 2011, American University's School of International Service building earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for its 70,000 square foot building renowned for sustainable design and "cradle-to-cradle" philosophy.<ref>[https://stars.aashe.org/institutions/american-university-dc/report/2011-01-31/ American University | Scorecard | Institutions | AASHE STARS]. Stars.aashe.org (January 31, 2011). Retrieved on November 22, 2011.</ref>

In 2014, American University ranked #2 in the [[Sierra Club]]'s list of the 'Top 10 Greenest Colleges'.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Andrews|first1=Avital|title=America's Greenest Colleges: The Top 10 |date=July 25, 2014|url=http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/slideshow/top-ten-coolest-schools-2014|publisher=Sierra Club|access-date=April 7, 2015}}</ref>

In 2014, the university announced an ambitious project to build a solar farm in partnership with George Washington University.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Fall 2014 Board of Trustees Meeting -- Sustainability & Fossil Free Discussion and Decision |date=November 21, 2014 |publisher=American University |url=https://www.american.edu/trustees/November-21-2014.cfm |last1=Sine |first1=Jeffrey A. |access-date=March 12, 2018}}</ref> {{as of|2016|January}}, the completed solar farm provides an equivalent of 50% of the university's electricity.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.american.edu/media/news/20160328-Solar-Energy-Half-AU-Power.cfm |title=American University Achieves Energy Milestone: Solar Energy Now Comprises Half of AU's Power |last=Alexander |first=Kelly |date=March 28, 2016 |website=American University |access-date=March 12, 2018}}</ref>

In 2018, American University became the first university in the United States to achieve carbon-neutral status.<ref>{{Cite press release |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/carbon-neutrality-is-now-reality-at-american-university-300636317.html |title=Carbon Neutrality is Now Reality at American University |publisher=American University |via=PR Newswire |access-date=April 25, 2018}}</ref> In 2020, AU announced that it had eliminated all public fossil fuel investments from its endowment.<ref>{{Cite web|date=April 22, 2020|title=American University Eliminates All Public Fossil Fuel Investments from Its Endowment|url=https://www.american.edu/media/news/20200422-divestment.cfm|access-date=September 1, 2020|website=American University|language=en}}</ref>

==Athletics==
{{Main|American Eagles}}
{{Further|American Eagles men's basketball|American Eagles men's soccer|American Eagles wrestling}}
[[File:Reeves Field and Greenberg Track.jpg|thumb|Reeves Field]]
A member of the [[Patriot League]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://patriotleague.org/|title=Patriot League|website=patriotleague.org|access-date=July 28, 2016}}</ref> AU has several sports teams including men's and women's [[basketball]], [[soccer]], [[Cross country running|cross-country]], [[swimming (sport)|swimming]] and [[Diving (sport)|diving]], [[Track and field|track]], women's [[volleyball]], [[field hockey]], and [[lacrosse]], and men's [[collegiate wrestling|wrestling]]. Club sports, such as tennis, rugby, rowing, ice hockey, field hockey, equestrian and [[ultimate frisbee]] also have teams.

[[Bender Arena]], a multi-purpose facility, hosts many of American's athletic competitions. Bender Arena opened on January 23, 1988, when AU's women's basketball team hosted [[James Madison University]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2018}}

[[Reeves Field]], home to AU's soccer team, earned the 2002 College Soccer Field of the Year by the Sports Turf Managers Association, hosted its fifth [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] Tournament game, and served as the training site for the [[Uruguay national football team]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2020}} Reeves Field features a six-lane track to accommodate the track and field programs at AU and functions as a multi-purpose event site. 
[[File:Olympic size swimming pool located in Bender.jpg|thumb|The swimming pool located in the Reeves Aquatic Center]]

American University has seven tennis courts and two basketball courts in the outdoor recreational facility located next to Reeves Field and behind Bender Arena. AU has hosted Patriot League tennis team championships three times since joining the league.{{Citation needed|date=December 2018}} Both the men's and women's tennis teams have been cut from the athletics program.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Carter |first1=Ivan |title=Staff Writer |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2619-2005Mar2.html |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=November 21, 2019}}</ref>

On March 14, 2008, AU earned its first NCAA tournament berth in men's basketball by defeating [[Colgate University]] in the Patriot League Championship Game. However, AU lost its first-round NCAA tournament game against the [[University of Tennessee]]. On March 13, 2009, AU's men's basketball team repeated as Patriot League Champion by defeating Holy Cross 73–57, earning an automatic bid to the [[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship]]. They ultimately lost to [[Villanova University]] in the first round on March 19, 2009, with a final score of 80–67.

==Notable people==
{{Main list|List of American University people}}Notable university alumni, faculty, and affiliates include eight foreign heads of state; over 30 [[United States Senate|U.S. senators]] and [[United States House of Representatives|representatives]]; two [[Governor (United States)|governors]]; a [[Lieutenant governor (United States)|lieutenant governor]]; multiple [[Cabinet of the United States|U.S. Cabinet members]]; two [[Nobel Prize|Nobel laureates]]; two [[Pulitzer Prize]] winners; an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] recipient; many [[Fulbright Program|Fulbright Scholars]]; more than 30 [[Ambassador|ambassadors]]; and prominent [[International finance|global finance]] leaders.<ref>{{Cite web |title=notable alumni |url=https://www.american.edu/alumni/about/notable-alumni.cfm |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=American University |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commonscat}}
* {{Official website}}<!-- Per [[WP:ELMINOFFICIAL]], choose one official website only -->

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[[Category:American University| ]]
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[[Category:American University Park]]
[[Category:Arboreta in Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:Private universities and colleges in Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges affiliated with the United Methodist Church]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges established in 1893]]