As the American University in the nation’s capital—founded with a mission of public service—we have a distinct opportunity to reflect on our founding ideals and the unfinished work of building “a more perfect union.”
The 250+ at American initiative offers a year of multidisciplinary programs that invite our community to reflect on the nation’s past, engage in the present, and imagine the future. Together, we will confront our complex history, draw on our diverse perspectives, and apply our collective expertise to the challenges facing our city, country, and world—ensuring a future defined by civic pluralism and a thriving democracy.
“Throughout this semiquincentennial year, the 250+ at American initiative will explore our nation’s identity while charting a sustainable path for our democracy. This initiative is 250+ because we believe this marks the beginning—not the end—of a new era for our nation.
250+ at American is a campus-wide, multidisciplinary series of programs and events designed to reflect on our nation’s past, engage in the present, and imagine a future defined by civic pluralism and a thriving democracy.
This year’s cohort, the Sine Institute 250+ at American Fellows and Sine Institute 250+ at American Distinguished Lecturers, will present seminars on key elements of America’s past, present, and future as a cornerstone of American University’s “250+ at American” initiative.
See Events
Congress On Demand — streams on-demand, segmented unfiltered videos of the appearances Congress-members make in the Senate and House. The 2026 Senate Election Edition streams all 119th Congress (2025/2026) floor appearances made by Congress-members running for their Senate seats in 2026. Free and online for all.
On Demand Here
This digital exhibit and companion physical exhibit on the 1st floor of Bender Library highlight AU's relationship with NARA and archival practices through the work of Professor Ernst Posner and Archivist Helen Chatfield, both Eagles. In this exhibit, Public History MA students explore U.S. record-keeping and its role in building the nation's public narrative.
Seeing America in Scale is a large-format photography exhibition celebrating diverse perspectives on American life, culture, and community. Selected images will be printed at a monumental scale, amplifying personal and collective narratives and inviting viewers into an immersive, story-driven experience.
On view in the Katzen Arts Center's Kreeger Lobby in fall 2026
| Date | Program | Format | Host | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09/05/26 at 06:00PM | Opening Reception: Seeing America in Scale: A Humongous Photography Exhibition | In Person | Studio Art, College of Arts and Sciences | Opening Reception: Seeing America in Scale is a large-format photography exhibition celebrating diverse perspectives on American life, culture, and community. Selected images will be printed at a monumental scale, amplifying personal and collective narratives and inviting viewers into an immersive, story-driven experience. |
| 10/08/26 at 09:00AM | 2026 Solutions Summit | In Person | Sine Institute | Sine Solution Summit 250+ at AU featuring 2026 Fellows discuss their findings from the themed questions of their seminar groups. Location: Grossman Hall, Washington College of Law |
| 09/05/26 - 12/06/26 | Exhibition: Seeing America in Scale: A Humongous Photography Exhibition | In Person | Studio Art, College of Arts and Sciences | Seeing America in Scale is a large-format photography exhibition celebrating diverse perspectives on American life, culture, and community. Selected images will be printed at a monumental scale, amplifying personal and collective narratives and inviting viewers into an immersive, story-driven experience. |
| 01/01/26 - 12/31/26 | Congress On Demand | Virtual | Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies (CCPS) | Congress On Demand — streams on-demand segmented unfiltered videos of the appearances Congress-members make in the Senate and House. The 2026 Senate Election Edition streams all 119th Congress (2025/2026) floor appearances made by Congress-members running for their Senate seats in 2026. Free and online for all. Location: Virtual |
| 08/01/26 - 10/10/26 | 250+ presents: AU's role in archiving the nation (exhibit) | Digital | Public History Program; History Department; Special Collections and Digital Initiatives, University Library | This digital exhibit and companion physical exhibit on the 1st floor of Bender Library highlight AU's relationship with NARA and archival practices through the work of Professor Ernst Posner and Archivist Helen Chatfield, both Eagles. In this exhibit, Public History MA students explore U.S. record-keeping and its role in building the nation's public narrative. Miss Archivist: Helen Chatfield & the Development of Archival Practice at American University https://omeka.library.american.edu/s/missarchivist/page/welcome Dean of Archivists: Ernst Posner, American University, and the National Archives https://omeka.library.american.edu/s/ernstposner/page/posner Community Archiving and Confronting Erasure in Washington D.C. https://omeka.library.american.edu/s/community-archiving-and-confronting-erasure-in-washington-d-c/page/welcome |
