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Parent & Family Philanthropy

Join Eagle families and the campaign for change.
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Did you know that nearly 2,000 AU parents and family members make philanthropic gifts to the university in support of its activities each year?

Gifts from Eagle families are further investments in their student’s AU experience—and the future of AU. They support hundreds of programs across campus, including student organizations and clubs, internship opportunities, AU’s schools and colleges, and the work of our top scholar-teachers, enabling AU to create transformative educational opportunities for students, advance research with impact, and build stronger communities on campus and beyond.

While you may make a gift to any area of the university, we hope you will consider supporting one of the priorities listed below. Your gift will help empower our AU community of student and faculty changemakers to make positive changes in the world.

Parent and Family Philanthropy Priorities

The AU Parent Fund gives the university the greatest flexibility to respond to the unexpected and address the changing needs of our students, faculty, and staff. The Parent Fund ensures that our students continue to have access to cutting edge technology and the unique opportunities that AU is known for providing. Support from parents is essential to attracting and retaining the most inspiring faculty who educate and mentor our students and engage them in groundbreaking research.

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AU Fund for Student Support provide students with the essential resources they need to thrive. Financial aid is life changing, and it ensures that an AU education is attainable to a talented and diverse range of students. The AU Fund for Student Support currently helps to provide financial aid to 80% of incoming students. It also provides stipends that cover the costs of taking on unpaid internships, textbooks, and research.

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Through the Office of Campus Life, AU offers medical care, counseling services and health education programs. Now, more than ever, students’ wellness and mental health significantly impact their ability to thrive in a post-secondary education environment. These Centers are dedicated to service all AU students’ needs and plays a critical role in the university’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The Fund for Faculty, Research, and Innovation supports the work of top scholar-teachers who address urgent challenges and guide future changemakers. The fund increases the capacity of research centers, fostering collaboration and groundbreaking innovations.

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Get Involved

To join the Parent Leadership Council or learn more about ways to become involved as an AU parent, contact Keith McIver, Senior Director of Development, at kmciver@american.edu or Molly Benedict, Associate Director of Development at benedict@american.edu.

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Connect

Connect with Eagle families in your area by joining a regional group on our official AU Parents and Family Facebook page.

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Volunteer

Parent and family volunteers help with admissions, mentor students, leverage connections to internships and employment, and serve as regional ambassadors, advocating and partnering with AU through the Parent Leadership Council. We invite you to learn more and get involved as a volunteer.

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Give

A gift of any size to the Parent Fund provides the greatest flexibility for AU to respond to the changing needs of our students, faculty, and staff. Please consider a gift to the Parent Fund or one of our priorities listed above.

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