From left: Matthew Eynon, Laura Marks, Ryan McConaghy, and Matt Bennett (Photo by Ethan Baker)

During last week’s inaugural Knowledge is Power Breakfast on the rapidly evolving higher education landscape, Matt Bennett, vice president and chief communications officer, challenged American University alumni who call the Washington, DC, area home to mobilize as the institution’s “home state delegation.”

“Think about your own communities, your own engagement with elected officials: How can American University be part of the story? What are the things that we are doing here that can help prove the value of higher ed—and how can we help you tell those stories?” said Bennett, SPA/BA ’00, MA ’01.  

Forty percent of AU’s 160,000 alumni—about 62,000 Eagles—live in the DMV. About 20 percent of parents of current students are also local. University Advancement launched the breakfast series to engage with those important constituencies. 

“We take pride in our Washington, DC, home and the significance of this region, not just as the nation’s capital, but as a global capital,” said Matthew Eynon, vice president of University Advancement. Also, “as an institution of higher education, we have a mandate to foster intellectual curiosity and advance public thought. So, our mission compels us to meet this decisive moment for higher education.” 

The October 24 event, which preceded UA’s second annual Volunteer Leadership Summit for alumni and parent volunteers, also featured Laura Marks, assistant vice president, community and government relations, and Ryan McConaghy, SPA/BA ’00, partner, Forbes Tate.

The panelists discussed the headwinds currently facing higher education, including cuts to federally sponsored research, questions about affordability and student debt, declining enrollment, and the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education, which seeks “to create a wedge” among colleges and universities,” said McConaghy said. 

That’s why a unified message—about the value of a college education in general and an American University degree in particular—is so important, the panelists agreed.

“We have to think about evolving how we think about ourselves, how we talk about ourselves, how we advocate for ourselves,” Bennett said. 

Research—a catalyst for economic growth in DC and beyond—is a compelling part of the AU story, Marks said. “At AU, we have the unique opportunity to present our research directly to policymakers,” she said. “We punch above our weight.”

 AU achieved R1 status from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education in February and is now among 187 doctoral universities with the prestigious designation. 

McConaghy said AU also needs to lean into opportunities it gives students to learn from leaders.

“This is a place where people come because they want to do great work and learn from people who are doing great work,” he said. “Everyone in this room has an AU story.”

What’s yours?