American University - Washington DC

American University International Student Insurance

American University, located in Washington, D.C., was established in 1893. It was chartered by an Act of Congress based on Methodist bishop John Fletcher Hurst’s vision of a university promoting public service, internationalism, and pragmatic idealism. The school opened in 1914 with 28 graduate students. It opened to undergraduates in 1925 and merged with the Washington College of Law in 1949. Today, American University is one of the top feeder schools for the U.S. Foreign Service and other government agencies. It also consistently tops lists of schools with the most politically active students.

American University’s colors are red and blue, and the athletic nickname is the eagle.

American University Campus History

In the early 1960s, the university was the site of a think tank operated by the Department of Defense and the CIA called Operation Camelot. The project was an attempt to enhance military ability to predict and influence social development in foreign countries. The think tank disbanded when the project attracted public attention and generated no small amount of controversy. President John F. Kennedy delivered the university commencement address in 1963, in which he called for cooperation from the Soviet Union in de-escalating the Cold War.

More recently, American University has become known for its sustainability efforts. In 2014, it was ranked as one of the nation’s top ten greenest colleges, and in 2018, it was the first university in the U.S. to become carbon neutral.

American University Notable Alumni

Notable American University alumni include journalist Neil Cavuto; Michael Cohen, former attorney and spokesman for President Donald Trump; actors Goldie Hawn, Danny Glover, and America Ferrera; author Max Brooks; and screenwriter Barry Levinson.