When psychology professor Tony Ahrens joined American University’s College of Arts and Sciences in 1987, he found a community of thoughtful scholars who cared deeply about teaching and “doing good work.” 

In the decades since, Ahrens, a leading expert on gratitude and mindfulness, has been an integral part of that good work. The director of AU’s Emotions and Positive Psychology Lab has taught more than 7,000 students and twice chaired the Department of Psychology. He also formerly served as chair of the AU Faculty Senate. 

Ahrens is now furthering his commitment to the university by establishing an endowed scholarship fund via his estate plan to help undergraduate psychology students pursue their academic passions.

“I was fortunate enough to finish graduate school with only one very small student loan,” Ahrens says. “That afforded me freedom to chase my dreams.”

Ahrens hopes his scholarship will inspire recipients to pursue excellence and experience generosity, both of which he sees as fundamental to well-being—and a key focus of his current research. He is particularly interested in how acts of kindness can support others during challenging times. 

“Think of those people who have inspired us with their goodness,” he says. “My intention, in part, is that a student years from now will receive this award and will remember that. . . no matter how others are acting, it is possible for humans to act with generosity and that this reflection will help them weather circumstances that might otherwise demoralize them.”

Ahrens’s legacy of care and his zeal for shaping the lives of AU students as they discover their purpose will endure through his philanthropy. His generosity and goodness are now woven into the fabric of AU, uplifting the students of today and for generations to come. 

For information on how your charitable estate plan can create a legacy at American University, contact Seth Speyer, executive director of planned giving, at 202-885-3411 or [email protected]; or visit american.edu/plannedgiving.