Illustration by Jaylene Arnold. 

After months of meticulous planning by the student-run Spirit and Traditions Board, American University’s third annual Spirit of Change Week went off without a hitch. The energy was clearly infectious this year, as the celebration saw a 211 percent increase in attendance compared to 2025.

The busy week of activities designed to foster community among students kicked off February 23 with drag queen Katya Zamolodchikova. The former RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant reminded students that change starts from within.

“You have the opportunity to change or transform yourself completely by emptying your mind and fully absorbing yourself in the present,” Zamolodchikova said. “It’s true, the corny cliché—‘You can’t change the world until you change yourself,’—which is why I’m going to get bangs tomorrow.”

Formerly known as Founders Week, this campus tradition dates back to 1931and serves as a yearly tribute to AU’s 1893 founding.

This year’s activities included:

• Taste of the Nations (February 24): A vibrant multicultural dinner that brought global flavors to the table. 
• Clawed’s 50th Birthday Bash (February 25): The campus celebrated half a century of our favorite mascot, Clawed Z. Eagle. 
• Clawed’s Court Gala (February 26): A night for students to trade hoodies for high fashion at this formal event. 
• Silent Disco (February 27): The Bridge Cafe transformed into a dance floor to close out the week. 

Photos courtesy of the Spirit and Traditions Board and Julia Gibson of the Division of Student Affairs.