Join us for Parent & Family Orientation in August! While not required, this optional program is designed to help you, Eagle parents, become more acquainted with American University resources and the professionals who will work with your Eagle over the coming years. 

Attend sessions on various topics, including academic success, campus involvement, and safety, and hear from current students and alumni.

Date: Sunday, August 18 or Monday, August 19. Choose the day that works best for your schedule or that aligns with your student’s move-in date. (Families moving in on Saturday are welcome to join the Sunday session.) 

Time: Arrive at 3:45 p.m. Sessions are 4:00 – 6:30 p.m.

Location: Mary Graydon Center + various campus spaces, American University 

Registration details coming later this month!

*The Live Chat function is monitored during business hours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT)

Remind your student to...

📚 Submit placement credit exam results - due July 15

📸 Upload their One Card photo - due July 15 (Students must be logged into MyAU portal to access.)

✅ For a more detailed checklist, click the link below.

"Be there for your child as a sounding board and ear to lend but let them figure stuff out on their own."

Michelle M., Eagle Parent

Students will have a summer required reading assignment before arriving to campus in August. This book will be a "community text" that students will use for discussion and writing in their fall College Writing course. This year's community text is Dr. Ashley Shew’s Against Technoableism: Rethinking Who Needs Improvement. Dr. Shew will be at American University this fall during the 27th Annual Writer as Witness Colloquium, and she will address the AU community and meet with students and faculty to discuss the book, as well as the craft, artistry, and research that went into its creation. To learn about the Colloquium and where to purchase your student's copy, click below.

Students can Apply Now for the Emerging Eagles Leadership Program!

American University’s Emerging Eagles Leadership Program is now accepting applications. Tailored for first-year students but open to all who are interested in exploring their leadership potential or aspiring to be change makers, this program empowers students through leadership development, mentorship, and community engagement.

Program Highlights for students:

Comprehensive Support - Benefit from guidance by experienced mentors and alumni.

Skill Development - Participate in leadership workshops and interactive activities.

Community Engagement - Engage in meaningful community service initiatives.

Networking Opportunities - Connect with a diverse group of peers and leaders.

For more information, students can contact the Center for Leadership and Community Engagement at volunteer@american.edu.

Encourage your student to take advantage of this opportunity to grow as a leader and to make a positive impact at AU!

Students apply through Engage. Application closes on July 31.

🖥️ Attend a virtual session about the many resources available to students on campus! Your student should plan to attend a session and we encourage you too as well! Register below and we will send an email confirmation with Zoom link 24 hours before the webinar. Upcoming dates:

Parent RSVP here:

💰 To view the student bill online if your student has established you as a proxy...

On the Student Accounts website in the proxy section, select your student's name to access their account and make payments [do not select Parent Name (You)]. Click on ‘Account Activity’ to see an itemized list of tuition, mandatory fees, and financial aid. Please note that mandatory fees are assessed to all (or groups) of students in order to help defray associated costs, not based on actual usage of an individual student. Due Thursday, August 1.

Visit the tuition refund insurance website for information on Grad Guard tuition refund insurance.

🩺 Please note that all students are automatically charged for health insurance once they are registered as a full-time student unless they submit a health insurance waiver request indicating they are covered by a comparable insurance plan. Visit here for details and to submit a health insurance waiver request.

🧳Housing & Residence Life (HRL) is busy preparing to welcome your student on campus. To review the packing list, visit the HRL website and to view dimensions and details of your student's room, visit this webpage and click on the specific residence hall.

👋 Meet other new Eagles even before arriving on campus! Students are invited to attend a Summer Send-Off. Hosted by the Office of Alumni Relations, the AU Summer Send-Offs are in-person social gatherings to help welcome the Class of 2028 to the AU community. Click the button to see the Summer Send-Off schedule.

✨ Incoming students are invited to the 2024 Summer Welcome Series to meet fellow Eagles, hear from alumni, and learn about resources offered to students by the Alumni Association and our Alumni Affinity Alliances and Networks (hosted by the Office of Alumni Relations in collaboration with the Office of Enrollment and the Center for Diversity and Inclusion). All welcomes are virtual, hosted on Zoom. RSVP here.

💖 At AU, we recognize that name and gender identity are one's internal, deeply held sense of self, and that it's at the discretion of the individual to identify and/or share their gender identity on their own terms. If your student wants to update their name, pronouns, or other personal identifiers, click the button below. Click here to learn more.

🎉 Is your student looking to get involved? Engage is their one-stop shop for student involvement; it allows them to find student clubs and organizations and discover events happening on campus. Remind your student to explore Engage today!

Students are invited to come out and show their Eagle pride as the Nationals host American University Day at the ballpark! On August 28, your student can join American University alumni, students, parents, faculty, and fans as the Eagles take over the ballpark for a day. Orientation Leaders and University Staff will accompany students from campus to the ballpark and back, and everyone who purchases a ticket will receive an exclusive Nationals American University Day co-branded jersey. Remind your student to RSVP through Engage and to get their ticket through MLB!  

From pool to plane, a student lifeguard helps save a life at 30,000 feet. Click below to read an article from the Summer 2024 issue of American, the American University magazine.