American University: Changemaking in the Nation’s Capital

In the landscape of American higher education, few institutions can claim a direct line from the Founding Fathers to the present day. American University (AU) answers George Washington’s dream of a “national university” in the nation’s capital, a vision formalized when Congress chartered the institution in 1893 under the auspices of the United Methodist Church . Located on an 84-acre residential campus in upper northwest Washington, D.C., AU has evolved from a small graduate institution—its first class graduated in 1916—into a student-centered research university of over 13,000 students representing all 50 states and more than 120 countries .

A Legacy of Groundbreaking Spirit

From its earliest days, AU distinguished itself through what it calls its “groundbreaking spirit” . Before women could vote, they were among the first 28 students. When Washington was still segregated, over 400 African Americans called AU home. In 1915, an African American student won a fellowship to pursue a doctorate—a remarkable feat in an era of pervasive discrimination . This commitment to access and inclusion has never wavered. Today, the university proudly maintains its affiliation with the United Methodist Church while embracing a community defined by diverse thought, origins, and talents . Buy fake USA diploma online.

The campus itself has been a quiet witness to history. President Theodore Roosevelt laid the cornerstone of the original building in 1902. Woodrow Wilson gave the dedication speech when the university opened in 1914. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy used the AU commencement address to deliver his landmark “A Strategy of Peace” speech, calling on the Soviet Union to pursue a nuclear test ban treaty . It was a moment that crystallized AU’s identity as a place where ideas meet action.

Academic Excellence in the Heart of Power

American University organizes its academic enterprise across eight schools, including the College of Arts and Sciences, Kogod School of Business, School of Communication, School of International Service (SIS), School of Public Affairs (SPA), and the Washington College of Law (WCL) . The university offers 78 bachelor’s programs, 77 master’s programs, and 12 doctoral programs, providing a breadth of study from Accounting and Neuroscience to Justice and Law and Film and Media Arts .

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Two schools, in particular, define AU’s national and international reputation. The School of International Service, founded with a groundbreaking ceremony led by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1957, has become one of the largest and most prestigious schools of international affairs in the world . Eisenhower’s charge to remember that “the waging of peace demands the best we have” remains the school’s guiding principle. Meanwhile, the School of Public Affairs emerged from a 1934 program launched with the “hearty cooperation” of President Franklin Roosevelt to train federal employees in new methods of public administration . Today, these schools, along with the Kogod School of Business and the Washington College of Law—founded in 1896 by women for women—create an ecosystem of policy, commerce, and justice that is unparalleled outside of Washington .

The Student Experience: From Classroom to Capitol

What truly distinguishes AU is its location. The university’s 84-acre campus is a designated arboretum and is carbon-neutral, featuring 11 LEED-certified buildings including the Hall of Science and the Don Myers Technology and Innovation Building . But the real classroom extends far beyond these walls. With a student-to-faculty ratio of just 10:1, students receive personalized mentorship from faculty who are not just scholars but active policymakers, diplomats, journalists, and business leaders drawn from the Washington professional community .

For students, the experience is immersive. As one current student from Los Angeles reflected, the move to AU meant leaving behind textbooks on international relations theory to “live and experience the world of global policymaking for myself” . From night monumenting to attending presidential campaign rallies, from interning at non-profits through the Philanthropy Lab (which recently awarded $46,000 to local organizations) to studying abroad on six continents, AU students learn by doing . The Washington Semester Program, founded in 1947, pioneered the concept of semester-long internships in the nation’s capital, a model that has since been replicated worldwide .

A Commitment to Changemaking

With an acceptance rate of 47% and middle-range SAT scores of 1260–1410, AU attracts ambitious students who are then challenged to become “changemakers” . The university’s strategic vision is grounded in social responsibility, cultural and intellectual diversity, and a conviction that academic strengths must serve the public good . For students who refuse to accept the world as it is and insist on shaping what it could be, American University offers not just an education, but a launchpad for a life of purpose and impact.