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A collage of AU photos from FY26.

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Achievements

Philanthropy Activates Campus-Wide Opportunities

Alumni and donors enabled AU to exceed its goal and raise over $61 million in FY26 for vital student support, faculty excellence, and campus initiatives.

With its new innovative pledges for student readiness and experiential learning, renowned distinction in teaching and research, and a global capital at its doorstep, American University is charting a bold path forward for today’s world.  

This momentum is matched by the philanthropic investment and shared vision of our donor community.  

For fiscal year 2026, AU exceeded its goal and raised over $61.1 million in new commitments that will expand financial aid, advance nationally recognized teaching and research, and enhance students’ experience from the moment they arrive on campus. 

This achievement was fueled by widespread donor participation and gifts of every size. It comes at a time in which AU continues to be a leader among student-centered research universities with the launch of the Meet Our Moment strategic plan earlier in January, which made AU among the only schools in the country to pledge a funded internship for every undergraduate, and prioritizes AU’s R1 status, DC location, top-ranked study abroad program, and alumni mentor community. 

“We are grateful for the impact alumni, partners and foundations made this year. This philanthropic support will change student’s lives, support impactful faculty research and improve American University’s facilities” said Interim President David Marchick. “The breadth and depth of donor support adds momentum to American University’s ambitions to meet this moment for our students, staff and faculty.” 

Philanthropy drives impact.  

Donor gifts expanded financial aid and real-world learning scholarships for students, strengthened funding for faculty and research, enhanced campus infrastructure, and provided resources that help AU innovate and grow, including:  

  • $4.4 million raised for student scholarships, with nearly $700,000 for internships and experiential learning that advance career readiness.  

  • $1.2 million in gifts to the AU Fund for Excellence—or 100% of our target—for a total of $9.1 million given to areas of greatest need, including financial aid, technology enhancements, student organizations, and building operations. 

  • $51.1 million in cash giving—the most in AU’s history—which fuels immediate resources and strengthens the university's financial foundation.  

  • The realization of historic philanthropic investments with the official opening of the state-of-the-art Alan and Amy Meltzer Center for Athletic Performance and Sports Center Annex and the formal dedication of the Linda A. and H. Kent Baker School of Education—AU’s first school naming in 45 years and the first named school of education in Washington, DC. 

This was a shared success.  

Fundraising is powered by relationships and collaboration across the university. Every member of the AU community helped create the experiences that inspire alumni, families, faculty, staff, and friends to invest in our mission.  

  • AU Giving Day 2026 surpassed $1 million for the first time in its 12-year history with a record-setting $1.25 million in new gifts, matches, and challenges. The effort united over 3,300 donors, with nearly 1,000 alumni—the most ever—and record levels of participation from parents, Gen Z, and Millennial donors.  

  • Of the 75,452 donors who made a gift to support AU’s proud tradition of student achievement, faculty teaching, and the ever-urgent local journalism of WAMU 88.5, 15,697 were first-time donors.  

  • Alumni felt the power of community. Nearly 1,000 young AU alumni stepped up for AU at historic levels. 136 graduates from the Class of 1976—the university’s newest Golden Eagles—celebrated their 50-year anniversary with a gift to their alma mater. 

A milestone that builds momentum.  

Exceeding this year’s goal accelerates AU’s purpose-driven energy and positions the university for continued fundraising success and greater impact in the year ahead. 

  • The pledges set out in Meet Our Moment underscore AU’s innovative commitment to student readiness and career outcomes, including the AU Ready $4,500 funded internship guarantee which has seen its first gifts made to the AU Internship Pledge Fund. 

  • Last month, Interim President Dave Marchick’s Summit for Scholarships for AU Students—an initiative inspired by his bike ride through the Pyrenees mountains—exceeded its goal of 200+ donors and raised nearly $175,000 for the AU Scholarship Fund and other direct-to-student resources. 

  • Activated by the new Show Up for AU initiative, this year’s AU’s Knowledge is Power Breakfast gathered Eagles on the topic of higher education and federal policy, while AU on the Hill welcomed nearly 100 alumni Hill staffers, as well as three alumni leaders serving in Congress. With 40 percent of AU’s 160,000 alumni in the greater DC metro area (the “DMV”), AU is building on these initiatives with the goal of creating the No. 1 alumni network in the region. 

Behind each of these proof points are powerful, lived stories of impact: Passionate students who can make the most of all that an AU education offers through the support of donor-funded scholarships. Ten funds endowed by an AU trustee, alum, and unwavering education champion. A campus herb garden made possible by a treasured professor emerita in celebration of her husband's own faculty legacy.  

For AU trustee, alumnus, and longtime donor and AU-advocate, Alan Meltzer, CAS/BA ’21, the university’s belief in students and commitment to their success enables him to see the impact of his philanthropy in action. Last year, AU dedicated the Alan and Amy Meltzer Center for Athletic Performance, made possible in large part by the Meltzer’s generous lead gift. Generations of student athletes will be the beneficiaries of their vision.

“As a young person, I first began my education here at American University through a scholarship for student-athletes,” said Meltzer. “Now, to be in a position where I can support today’s students and the mission of excellence you find in every part and every person at AU—that is the most meaningful, full-circle moment for me. We are fortunate to be in a position to help and thrilled to see the University’s progress and momentum.”

The success of the year underscores what generosity can make possible. Through their investment in students, faculty, and facilities, as well as their bold vision for the university’s growth, donors deepen the AU community’s sense of pride and purpose. 

“Every donor, every gift, moves the needle on what AU—and indeed higher education—can accomplish in our pledges to today’s students” said Vice President of University Advancement Matthew Eynon. “In exceeding our fiscal year 2026 goal, AU continues to carve a bold path forward in deepening philanthropic partnerships and alumni engagement.” 

Explore the impact across the university: