The American University

American University's campus works as a quiet refuge inside a busy Washington, D.C. Its arboretum covers 90 acres in Spring Valley, with wide green areas shaded by fully grown trees. Gothic Revival buildings and contemporary glass structures sit side by side, each reflecting the university's mix of tradition and innovation. Students stretch out on the lawns of The Yard, the focal point of the university, while Frisbee games start up nearby. Close at hand, the well-known Mary Gray Porter Hall rises above the cityscape, its clock tower a reminder of the university's long past.

The new School of International Service building shows clean lines, and the Katzen Arts Center feels homely and welcoming. Every part of these buildings carries an intellectual energy that matches the city's own. In the air you hear the low, indistinct sound of conversations in other languages, evidence of how global-minded this place is. Beyond the brick and ivy, the well-known landmarks of Washington, D.C., stand like still guardians and invite you into the heart of American democracy. The campus is full of possibility.

Here the energy of the present meets what remains of the past, making a distinctive setting for study and involvement in the nation's capital.

Campus life at American University is vibrant, carrying the energy of a big city and the enthusiasm of young thinkers. Among the green courtyards and Gothic buildings, a wide range of experiences takes shape. The political hum of the city turns days into heated debates in crowded classrooms and quiet focus in library corners. Evenings fill with laughter from dormitory common areas and a cappella groups singing across The Yard. Weekends open up choices. You can find a fashionable cafe in Dupont Circle, support the Eagles football team, or see the historic sites at the nearby monuments.

Volunteer projects and internships connect students to the living heart of the city. Diversity runs through student life, with international accents in the halls and cultural nights full of song and dance. At AU, learning reaches past textbooks into late-night talks in comfortable coffee shops and unplanned sessions in the music rooms. A strong sense of determination runs through the city's atmosphere, driven by a shared pursuit of education, activism, and personal development. Campus life here is not simply a backdrop.

It is a lively playground where friendships develop, passions spark, and futures are formed, in the middle of Washington, D.C.

American University has produced many notable alumni across a range of fields. Its best-known and most accomplished graduates include:

• Ann Beattie
• Lonnie Bunch
• John Fahey
• Dominic Giampaolo
• Michael Chasen
• Facundo Bacardi
• Richard Clark
• Jesse Itzler
• Caroline Aaron
• Max Brooks
• Patricia de Stacy Harrison