Readiness
Prepared for lives of achievement and meaning, AU students graduate with a portfolio of real-world experience and in-demand skills that translate across every industry and career.
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President's Office Building, Room 1 on a map
Office of the President 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016-8060 United StatesMeet Our Moment, American University’s new five-year strategic plan, is a pledge to prepare students for career and personal success and to strengthen the institution’s impact on the world. Grounded in three pillars—Readiness, Community, and Curiosity—the plan expands experiential learning and skill development, deepens career preparation, leverages AU’s unique approach to impactful research, and integrates Washington, DC, into every facet of the AU experience.
By 2030, AU will be a premier destination for students seeking real-world experience, in-demand skills, and clear professional pathways. This journey is led by a community that spans our award-winning arboretum campus to learning hubs and research partnerships around the globe. Meet Our Moment catalyzes AU’s strengths into a cohesive, student-centered strategy that connects today’s ambitions with tomorrow’s needs.
Vision
Throughout our history, American University Eagles have always met the moment. In seasons of challenge and dawns of possibility, we break ground and shape history. We are more than dreamers; we are builders, innovators, and leaders who thrive wherever change is made and the future is forged—from classrooms and boardrooms to the halls of Congress and the heart of our communities.
Guided by Readiness, Community, and Curiosity, we are reimagining every facet of the AU experience to multiply opportunity. Through a flexible, “future-now” curriculum, guaranteed access to funded internships or research experiences, and global engagements, we will bridge the gap between ambition and achievement. Harnessing both, research that goes to work and our unique DC vantage point, AU will transform classroom learning into personal growth, professional achievement, and institutional success. AU will be a model for a 21st-century university: relentlessly innovative, inclusive in spirit, and profound in purpose.
Our Pledges
We pledge to prepare students for meaningful lives of purpose and achievement, to expand our curiosity, to build our community, and to be accountable for our outcomes. Our pledges meet what students and families expect and what the world demands. They reflect where AU excels. Each commitment draws from our community and aligns today’s ambitions and tomorrow’s needs. The pledges ensure every student is ready to thrive, lead, and make an impact beyond graduation locally, nationally, and globally.
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AU Ready (Undergraduate Students)
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AU Ready (Graduate Students)
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AU Global (Undergraduate Students)
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AU Global (Graduate Students)
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Mentors Matter
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A Distinctive Curriculum
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AI Readiness
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Civic Engagement and Learning
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AU90
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DC-Centered Learning
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Student Belonging and the Power of Cohorts
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Career Preparation Through Integrated Experiential Learning and Workforce Preparation Services
Our Strategic Priorities
Community
Through mentors, cohorts, and a vibrant campus culture, AU provides the framework for students to navigate their unique journey and forge a powerful network that sustains them for life.
Curiosity
AU research goes to work. “R1 the AU way” unites faculty and students in a common mission: to solve urgent challenges and transform bold ideas into meaningful action from the nation’s capital to the global stage.
Foundations and Enabling Goals
To support the strategy and deliver the best AU experience possible, we will ensure excellence throughout the university’s core functions and foundations.
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Enrollment and Access
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Student Life, Engagement, and Belonging
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Brand and Reputation
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Resources and Operations
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Inclusive Excellence (IE)
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University Advancement
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Global Engagement
We are ready to meet our moment. Are you?