You are here: American University President Announcements September 9, 2024

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Dear AU Community,

We are excited to continue rolling out The Civic Life, our university-wide experience to empower the AU community by enhancing civic education and fostering active participation in civic life.

To help us lead and implement this critical program, we assembled The Civic Life Steering Committee of experts from across the university. The steering committee will oversee the creation of educational modules and programs in collaboration with faculty, staff, external experts and partners; encourage participation and engagement across all community segments through promotion and inclusive strategies; establish metrics to assess the program’s effectiveness; and develop a plan to extend the program into the future. The steering committee will report to the Provost and President of American University, providing regular updates and a comprehensive final report detailing outcomes, impact, and recommendations.

Our thanks to the Steering Committee members:

  • Chair – Tom Merrill, Associate Professor, School of Public Affairs; Program Director, Lincoln Scholars Program; and Immediate Past Chair, Faculty Senate
  • Amy Dacey, Executive Director, Sine Institute of Policy and Politics
  • Elizabeth Deal, Assistant Vice President, Community and Internal Communications
  • Jocelyn Hill, Associate Athletic Director
  • Dayne Hutchinson, Assistant Vice President for Student Engagement and Success
  • Patrick Jackson, Professor and Chair, Department of Global Inquiry, School of International Service
  • Ocheze Joseph, Director of Undergraduate Programs and Senior Professorial Lecturer, School of Education
  • Eric Lohr, Professor and Dr. James H. Billington Chair of Russian History and Culture, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Theresa Rundstetler, Professor of History, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Lara Schwartz, Senior Professorial Lecturer, School of Public Affairs; Director, Project on Civic Dialogue
  • Edwina Simms, Assistant Vice President of Alumni Relations
  • Amanda Taylor, Assistant Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Bridget Trogden, Dean of Undergraduate Education and Academic Support

One of the primary programs throughout the year will be our Perspectives on The Civic Life presidential speaker series. To kick off the series, Eboo Patel, founder and president of Interfaith America, will spend the day on campus on September 18 and participate in a fireside chat event. Interfaith America has worked with governments, universities, private companies, and civic organizations to make faith a bridge of cooperation rather than a barrier of division. Eboo served on President Obama’s Inaugural Faith Council and has authored multiple books, including We Need to Build: Field Notes for Diverse Democracy. We are excited to welcome Eboo to campus and will be announcing additional speakers soon.

Additional upcoming events include:

  • September 10––Lessons from the Summer Elections in France, UK, and European Parliament
  • September 16-20––Absentee Ballot Days at Bender Library
  • September 17––Constitution Day Lecture with Yuval Levin
  • September 17––Sine Institute event "What's America Thinking: Young Voters of Today, Political Leaders of Tomorrow"
  • October 28––Lincoln Scholars Lecture with Peter Levine, “What Should We Do? A Theory of Civic Life”

We hope you will join in these opportunities to learn about civic engagement, connect with fellow AU Eagles, and hear from experts about how we all play a critical role in a civic society based on dialogue, inquiry, and respect. Check  website for regular updates and future events.

Sincerely,

Jonathan R. Alger
President

Vicky Wilkins
Acting Provost and Chief Academic Officer