Dear AU Community,

Today I am thrilled to announce a historic and extraordinary gift to American University from Kogod School of Business professor H. Kent Baker, CAS/MS ’79, SOE/PhD ’83, MA ’84, PhD ’89. Kent made this gift in memory of his late wife, Linda, a double alumna of the Kogod School of Business, and to honor the couple’s deep and longstanding connections to AU. In recognition of this transformational gift, the Board of Trustees has approved the naming of the School of Education as the Linda A. and H. Kent Baker School of Education.

This is our first school naming gift in 45 years and the largest gift by any individual donor in AU’s history. The gift provides permanent endowed resources for the School of Education and will also establish an endowed leadership chair at the school—the first of its kind at AU. In addition, it will bolster areas of distinction, including expanding the school’s existing community partnerships and interdisciplinary faculty research, and provide scholarship resources to recruit and retain graduate students in the School of Education. In tribute to the couple’s deep ties to the Kogod School of Business, a portion of the gift will also recognize outstanding faculty and leaders at the business school.

Learn more about Kent, Linda, their AU story, and their incredible gift to our community in the video below.

On behalf of all Eagles, I extend my deepest gratitude to Kent for this profound gift. The ongoing thoughtful planning around the School of Education, coupled with this transformational support, will fuel the school’s next successful chapter.

Sincerely,

Jonathan R. Alger 
President, American University