Endowed Positions Inspire Change

Professors in cap and gowns American University’s world-class faculty understand the urgency and relevancy of today’s most pressing challenges and prepare students to effect positive change in the world.

AU faculty are innovators who spark student learning through classroom teaching, side-by-side mentorship, and bold research that cuts across disciplines.

Continuing philanthropic support—now and in the future through charitable estate plans—enables AU to establish endowed chairs and positions that recognize scholar-teachers who excel in their fields at the highest level.

Among the greatest honors a university can bestow upon its faculty, endowed positions are vital to AU’s future and are a key priority of Change Can’t Wait: The Campaign for American University.

Endowed positions at AU fuel a robust portfolio of academic work. Their reliable and steady funding structure allows faculty to undertake multiyear research, leverage cutting-edge methods and technologies, and mentor aspiring students.

In this way, endowed positions help AU attract and retain prominent scholars, strengthening the university’s prestige and profile.

In 2023, American University established four endowed positions:

Abdul Aziz Said Chair in International Peace and Conflict Resolution
Arlene R. and Robert P. Kogod Eminent Scholar Chair in Finance
Arlene R. and Robert P. Kogod Eminent Scholar Chair in Marketing
C. Nicholas Keating and Carleen B. Keating Director of the American University Museum

Thanks to your ongoing investments, AU can continue to secure leading scholars, boost its reputation, and empower student changemakers in their bold pursuits.

Below you will learn more about the esteemed AU faculty recently honored with endowed positions.

To learn more about how you can leverage your estate plans to benefit AU’s leading faculty, please Seth D. Speyer at 202-885-3411 or speyer@american.edu.

Knowledge Is a Central Pillar of Our Mission at American University.

Our changemaking faculty unlock the potential to create and share knowledge for positive change, uniting us in a common purpose across our community.

American University’s renowned faculty and staff generate knowledge to advance society today and into the future.

Mohammed Abu-Nimer
Abdul Aziz Said Chair in International Peace and Conflict Resolution Professor, School of International Service
Founder and Director, Peacebuilding and Development Institute (2001-2013)

“It is meaningful for me to be the inaugural chair and continue Professor Said’s peacebuilding work, having shared a journey with him for over 20 years since I joined AU. The story of peacebuilding is not complete without listening to the powerful stories of people—how the peacebuilding work shifted, affected, or transformed their lives. If we stop—if I stop—we have no future and did not do our duties as leaders or people.”

Valentina Bruno
Arlene R. and Robert P. Kogod Eminent Scholar Chair in Finance
Professor of Finance, Kogod School of Business

“At AU, I found many people who encouraged me and helped me throughout my career, and who supported my research on understanding the role of the US dollar in the global economy. I often tell my students to think about countries not as separate islands but as a network of interrelated relationships. Bob and Arlene Kogod’s support of research and scholarship reinforces this value, reshaping the future of business education.”

Sonya Grier
Arlene R. and Robert P. Kogod Eminent Scholar Chair in Marketing
Professor of Marketing, Kogod School of Business

“The changing composition of marketplaces worldwide makes it imperative we understand the underlying issues of race and diversity to better connect with both communities and society. As one of the nation’s few marketing departments focusing on marketing and consumer well-being, Kogod was a natural fit for me. I am honored to work alongside other trailblazing colleagues who inspire me to take risks that make my work all the more relevant in today’s world.”

Jack Rasmussen
C. Nicholas Keating and Carleen B. Keating Director
Director and Curator, American University Museum

“The AU Museum is a DC museum that is for DC. We are devoted to the Washington community even as we focus on our international neighbors. AU’s character is a natural springboard for socially conscious curation, whether featuring women and artists of color or challenging the perceived view of Washington’s art history. I am excited that the director position will ensure a future of strong leadership and artistic direction for the AU Museum.”

You can give the gift of helping AU attract and retain exceptional faculty through your estate plan. Please be in touch to learn more about supporting AU’s effort to elevate the student experience, inspire impactful research, and lead community-driven initiatives.