Summer 2023

summer 2023 issue of American with Justice Jackson

Meet the AU changemakers working to make DC streets safer for those on two wheels—and two feet. Learn why Washington's famed cherry trees are blooming earlier than usual and how the Black ballplayers of the 1970s and '80s set the once-troubled NBA up for success. Also in this issue: AU's connection to Arizona Cardinal turned American hero Pat Tillman, Santa Fe's red hot chile peppers, words to the wise from this year's commencement speakers, and AU's Arboretum and Gardens marks its 20th anniversary.

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Legacy of Leadership

SIS forges a first-of-its-kind partnership with the Pat Tillman Foundation to support veterans, military service members, and their spouses

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Management Track

The Presidential Management Fellowship’s 2023 class of finalists includes 29 Eagles from four AU schools and colleges

Giving

Creating Pathways to Purpose

AU launches the Elevate Scholarship Initiative to support Eagles who experience changes in their financial circumstances 

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A Revolutionary Life

Angela Davis reflected on a half-century spent fighting for racial and social justice during a March 23 event cosponsored by KPU 

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Peace Talks 

In honor of JFK's landmark speech, “A Strategy of Peace,” American asked this generation of AU changemakers how they practice peace

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Family Bonds and School Ties

Among the Eagles collecting their diplomas during AU's 145th commencement: Tiayé Wooten, SIS/MA ’23, and his mother, Darice Long, SOE/MEd ’23

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On Board with AU

Gina Adams, SPA/BS ’80, and Charlie Lydecker, SPA/BA ’85, elected to lead AU Board of Trustees

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Time of the Season

Over the last 20 years, the AU Arboretum and Gardens has transformed campus into 84 acres of American idyll 

Perspectives

Writing Wrongs

In her new memoir, Professor Rachel Louise Snyder recounts how her mother’s death left her unmoored and untoward

Insights and Impact

Power Forward 

CAS's Theresa Runstedtler on how Black ballplayers of the 1970s and '80s set the once-troubled NBA up for success

Insights and Impact

At Issue 

Women are burned out and fed up, according to a new poll from SPA's Women and Politics Institute 

Insights and Impact

Digital Headspace 

Katherine Grill, CAS/MA '16, PhD '17, on how the mental health app she correlated is breaking down stigma and building resiliency and community  

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Classic Rock 

Sudama, AU's new monumental sculptural installation, has become a place for quiet reflection—in more ways than one

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Mind, Body, and Sole 

WCL professor and avid runner David Jaffe laces up—again and again—for the American Heart Association 

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Germinating Tradition

AU hosted the 30th annual Campus Beautification Day—part of the university’s perennial commitment to sustainability and community—in April

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King of the Court

AU community mourns beloved volleyball coach Barry Goldberg, who led the Eagles to 18 Patriot League championships 

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Grinding Away 

Shamil Kalmatov, CAS/BS ’25, is likely the first wrestler from Kyrgyzstan to commit to a Division I school

Insights and Impact

Sincerely Yours 

Alumna Liz Maguire's passion project, Flea Market Love Letters, offers Instagram followers a whimsical peek into the past

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Words to the Wise

Changemaking commencement speakers spanning the Supreme Court to the basketball court laud AU's Class of 2023