Jon Alger’s installation as American University’s 16th president on March 28 was steeped in tradition, from the skirl of bagpipes that led the processional into Bender Arena to the chain of office and medallion inscribed with the AU seal that were placed around his neck during the ceremony to signify the responsibility vested in his position.
But in his remarks to the thousand AU community members gathered for the festivities, Alger was focused on the future, encouraging Eagles to continue to “dream big, audacious dreams,” despite the challenging political climate.
“Our nation is in the midst of an identity crisis,” he said. “We are asking basic questions about what it means to be a democratic society that embraces the dream of liberty and justice for all.
“At such a moment, our values carry us forward. Even as we struggle and question the challenges around us, we can be buoyed by this community, by each other, and by the work we are doing to help make the world a better place.
“American University is in the right place at the right time,” Alger said to enthusiastic applause. “We have a unique opportunity to become a national model of civic education, engagement, and exchange.”
Those pillars have quickly become the cornerstone of Alger’s presidency. Shortly after joining AU last summer from James Madison University, where he was president for 12 years, Alger launched The Civic Life—a university-wide initiative focused on civic education and civil dialogue.
During his inauguration address, Alger teased a forthcoming “democracy lab”—a new project with AU’s Sine Institute of Policy and Politics that will advance the university’s work around civic engagement and education.
“We can teach and learn many different modes of approaching problems—from the principles of design thinking, negotiation, and alternative dispute resolution to the scientific method,” Alger said. “Every discipline has something to offer as we learn to create change by being bridge builders and problem solvers.”
Alger was introduced by a longtime friend, Lynn Pasquerella, president of the American Association of Colleges and Universities.
“His call for civic revival on our college campuses foregrounds the unique role that higher education plays in preserving and protecting democracy through the free exchange of ideas, unfettered pursuit of the truth, and engagement with diverse perspectives,” Pasquerella said. “Now more than ever, higher education needs presidents like Jon who exhibit moral courage and who defend academic freedom, institutional autonomy, shared governance, and pluralism foundational to our nation’s historic mission of educating for democracy.”
The ceremony, which drew representatives from colleges and universities across the country, was the culmination of a week of festivities that included nearly 30 events. The lineup included a picnic on the quad; a book drive for elementary school students in DC; sold-out performances of the student production 9 to 5: The Musical; and the presentation of six Yoshino cherry trees to AU from All Nippon Airways and the National Cherry Blossom Festival—a symbol of friendship, collaboration, and environmental stewardship.