Presidential Speaker Series with Jonathan Alger
(Open to the Public)
Engaging conversations with experts from across political, cultural, and intellectual spectrums on America’s past, present, and a path forward for our democracy.
As the American University in the nation’s capital—founded with a mission of public service—we have a distinct opportunity to reflect on our founding ideals and the unfinished work of building “a more perfect union.”
The 250+ at American initiative offers a year of multidisciplinary programs that invite our community to reflect on the nation’s past, engage in the present, and imagine the future. Together, we will confront our complex history, draw on our diverse perspectives, and apply our collective expertise to the challenges facing our city, country, and world—ensuring a future defined by civic pluralism and a thriving democracy.
“Throughout this semiquincentennial year, the 250+ at American initiative will explore our nation’s identity while charting a sustainable path for our democracy,” said President Jonathan Alger. “We call this initiative 250+ because we believe this marks the beginning—not the end—of a new era for our nation.”
Spotlight Events
Sine Fellow Events
(Open to the Public)
This year’s cohort, the Sine Institute 250+ at American Fellows and Sine Institute 250+ at American Distinguished Lecturers, will present seminars on key elements of America’s past, present, and future as a cornerstone of American University’s “250+ at American” initiative.
Engaged Scholarship in the Changing World: Lunch and Learn
(AU Only)
AU President Jonathan Alger will lead discussions with AU faculty members to showcase research, teaching, and community engagement from across the university that strengthens civic pluralism and helps to sustain our democracy.
All Events
250+ at American is a campus-wide, multidisciplinary series of programs and events designed to reflect on our nation’s past, engage in the present, and imagine a future defined by civic pluralism and a thriving democracy.
| Date | Program | Format | Host | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06/10/26 at 12:00PM | Sine Institute Summer Series: Power, Trust, and the Next Generation: How a New Civic Culture Is Rewriting Washington’s Rules: Anna Palmer with Special Guests Chuck Todd and Jackie Kucinich | Virtual | Sine Institute | This seminar series examines the shifting dynamics of influence, collaboration, and public trust in American governance. As new generations bring fresh perspectives and digital tools to civic life, traditional power structures are being reimagined. This series invites policymakers, activists, and thinkers to explore how emerging movements and cultural shifts are redefining engagement, accountability, and leadership in the nation’s capital - and what this transformation means for the future of democracy. Registration Required Location: Zoom |
| 07/02/26 at 08:00PM | Brew to the People: A Coffeehouse Conversation | In Person and Online | School of Communication | Calling our Gen-Z crowd: this one is for you. Celebrate America 250 with Brew to the People, a lively, after-hours experience inspired by the colonial coffee houses where ideas, gossip and revolution were brewed. Explore fascinating objects from the past in the feature exhibition: Founding Fortunes: The Estate Sale of Martha Washington and then espresso yourself and your ideas at the Dower House for coffeehouse-style mock-tails and treats. Locations: Dower House, 1670 31st St NW RSVP required |
| 07/14/26 at 06:30PM | Sine Institute Summer Series: America, Out Loud with Kwame Alexander, the Amy Shook Trio and Special Guests, Rachel Martin and Cleve Francis | Virtual and In-Person | Sine Institute | An evening where poems become porch lights, songs become bridges, and stories become the map of who we are. Kwame Alexander and special guest friends gather to celebrate 250 years of voices—whispered, shouted, sung, and still becoming. Together, we honor the stories that made us and imagine the ones waiting to be told. Come listen for yourself in the chorus. Registration Required Location: Zoom or In-person at Olney Theater |
| 07/23/26 at 03:30PM | Sine Institute Summer Series: Listening at the Center: Redefining Political Trust & Civic Culture with Young America with Kristen Soltis Anderson | Virtual | Sine Institute | This seminar series explores how emerging generations are reshaping the foundations of trust, leadership, and participation in public life. In a moment marked by polarization and rapid change, young Americans are creating new spaces for dialogue, empathy, and collective action. This series brings together students, organizers, and civic innovators to examine how listening—across differences and beyond institutions—can rebuild connection and renew the promise of democratic culture. Registration Required Location: Zoom or In-person at Olney Theater |
| 09/05/26 at 06:00PM | Opening Reception: Seeing America in Scale: A Humongous Photography Exhibition | In Person | Studio Art, College of Arts and Sciences | Opening Reception: Seeing America in Scale is a large-format photography exhibition celebrating diverse perspectives on American life, culture, and community. Selected images will be printed at a monumental scale, amplifying personal and collective narratives and inviting viewers into an immersive, story-driven experience. |
| 10/08/26 at 09:00AM | 2026 Solutions Summit | In Person | Sine Institute | Sine Solution Summit 250+ at AU featuring 2026 Fellows discuss their findings from the themed questions of their seminar groups. Location: Grossman Hall, Washington College of Law |
| 08/01/26 - 08/31/26 | 250+ presents: Evolution of fashion from 1776-2026 | In person and online | Costume Shop, College of Arts and Sciences | Weaving together the threads of our history with contemporary sensibilities, Suit the Times is a project studying the evolution of fashion from 1776 to present day. Silhouettes may be in constant flux, but there are elements that connect us to the past everywhere if one cares to look. Creating a minimum of 4 costume looks, this project will compare and contrast elements of style across centuries. Location: TBD |
| 09/05/26 - 12/06/26 | Exhibition: Seeing America in Scale: A Humongous Photography Exhibition | In Person | Studio Art, College of Arts and Sciences | Seeing America in Scale is a large-format photography exhibition celebrating diverse perspectives on American life, culture, and community. Selected images will be printed at a monumental scale, amplifying personal and collective narratives and inviting viewers into an immersive, story-driven experience. |
| 01/01/26 - 12/31/26 | Congress On Demand | Virtual | Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies (CCPS) | Congress On Demand — streams on-demand segmented unfiltered videos of the appearances Congress-members make in the Senate and House. The 2026 Senate Election Edition streams all 119th Congress (2025/2026) floor appearances made by Congress-members running for their Senate seats in 2026. Free and online for all. Location: Virtual |
| 07/01/26 - 10/10/26 | 250+ presents: AU's role in archiving the nation (exhibit) | In person | Public History Program; History Department; Special Collections and Digital Initiatives, University Library | This digital exhibit, and companion physical exhibit on the 1st floor of Bender Library, highlights AU's relationship with NARA and archival practices through the work of Professor Ernst Posner and Archivist Helen Chatfield, both Eagles. In this exhibit, Public History MA students explore US record keeping and its role in public narrative-building about the nation. Location: Battelle-Thompkins Atrium; Bender Library 1st Floor Exhibit Space |
| 04/01/26 - 10/10/26 | 250+ presents: AU's role in archiving the nation (exhibit) | Digital | Public History Program; History Department; Special Collections and Digital Initiatives, University Library | This digital exhibit and companion physical exhibit on the 1st floor of Bender Library highlight AU's relationship with NARA and archival practices through the work of Professor Ernst Posner and Archivist Helen Chatfield, both Eagles. In this exhibit, Public History MA students explore U.S. record-keeping and its role in building the nation's public narrative. Miss Archivist: Helen Chatfield & the Development of Archival Practice at American University https://omeka.library.american.edu/s/missarchivist/page/welcome Dean of Archivists: Ernst Posner, American University, and the National Archives https://omeka.library.american.edu/s/ernstposner/page/posner Community Archiving and Confronting Erasure in Washington D.C. https://omeka.library.american.edu/s/community-archiving-and-confronting-erasure-in-washington-d-c/page/welcome |