American University is Washington, DC’s leading per-capita pipeline to major federal agencies and Congress.

Outperforming 40 peer institutions—including Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, and Georgetown—American University sends more graduates per 1,000 students to Capitol Hill and the Departments of State, Justice, Homeland Security, and Commerce than any other top university. Beyond government leadership, AU is an engine for the broader regional workforce, ranking among the top three talent providers across 21 of 40 key employer groups throughout the greater Washington area, including premier arts, educational, and cultural institutions.

Flight Path to Policy

“You’re putting our nation’s stories to the forefront in an accessible and unabridged manner. It’s truly an only-in-DC experience.”

—Roderick Purdy, SPA/BA ’27, Lead Explainer at Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum

Read Roderick’s Story

Powering the Capital

AU sends the highest concentration of graduates into Congress and the Departments of State, Homeland Security, Justice, and Commerce—outpacing both national and regional peer institutions, according to new professional networking data.

Read the analysis

From Grassroots to Capitol Hill

Through the Campus Compact leadership development program, Owain Squance, SPA/BA ’27, will build on his work enacting change across DC.

Read Owain’s Story

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American University pioneered experiential learning in the nation’s capital.

Launched in 1947 with 24 college juniors—all World War II veterans—American University’s Washington Semester Program created the blueprint for immersive study in Washington, DC, and was the first to award academic credit for Capitol Hill internships. Now housed within the School of Public Affairs, the program boasts more than 50,000 alumni worldwide, including speakers of the House, White House press secretaries, corporate CEOs, and award-winning actors.

300+ DC-area partnerships offer pipelines for internships, research, and jobs

11 Federal agencies where AU is the No. 1 alma mater

40% Alumni call the Washington area home

American University is home to Washington, DC’s only accredited, award-winning arboretum campus.

Located just 20 minutes from downtown by Metro, American University offers a classic collegiate quad balanced with effortless capital access—connecting students to Capitol Hill internships, world-renowned museums, and dynamic city neighborhoods. Spanning 90 cultivated acres, the AU Arboretum and Gardens provides a serene living laboratory featuring more than 4,000 trees and 500 varieties of woody plants.

50,000+ Washington Semester alumni worldwide

27 Years leading NASA’s DC Space Grant Consortium

300+ Alumni working on Capitol Hill, including six members of the House

On Campus · October 14

Moving Beyond Cynicism: 2026 Solutions Summit Centers Gen Z in Democracy’s Next Chapter

National survey findings and campus voices challenge conventional political tropes, calling for systemic fairness, economic opportunity, and human-driven storytelling.
Full Story

In the Community · October 13

A Short Walk from Campus, a LEGO Cathedral, and a Game Waiting to Be Built

Joseph DeNavas (CAS/BA '27) went exploring Washington, DC, and came home with an idea: to turn one of the city's grandest landmarks into a video game full of historical surprises
Full Story

On Campus · October 13

Learning Blooms on AU’s Green Campus

American University’s Urban Gardening course takes advantage of the campus arboretum as a living laboratory for Eagles looking to cultivate their green thumbs.
Full Story

International · October 12

Ambassadors Up Close: Studying International Affairs Near Embassy Row in Washington, DC

Through SIS’s Ambassadors Up Close event series, international affairs students get an inside look at diplomacy from the people who practice it.
Full Story

Communications · October 7

Perk of Proximity: SOC Students Engage with Leading Journalists

“If you want to learn how to be a journalist, you have to learn from the best,” says professor Antoine Sanfuentes.
Full Story

Alumni · October 6

The City That Launched Her Career

From her first AU campus visit to an Emmy-winning career at WUSA9, Robyn Walters, SOC/BA ’21, has built her career in the city she always knew she wanted to call home.
Full Story

In the Community · October 5

Beyond the Bookshelves: How Librarians Turned Storytelling into Street-Level Play

AU’s Playful City Lab partnered with libraries in big cities and small towns across the country to bring history to life—one SMS at a time
Full Story

Internships · September 25

Finding His Path to Public Service on Capitol Hill

Through an internship in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rodney Woods, SPA/BA ’27, is connecting his AU coursework to public service—and building a path toward a career in law and government.
Full Story

Education · September 14

The Building Blocks to Success: Putting Youngest Learners First Pays Dividends

Dr. Kim Jackson’s Path to DCPS Interim Chancellor
Full Story

Achievements · September 1

Axios Covers AU Sine Institute's Latest Youth Poll

Axios reports on a new poll from American University’s Sine Institute of Policy and Politics showing that young adults are more likely to take pride in America’s past than in the nation’s current direction.
Full Story

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