We hope you had a refreshing Thanksgiving break. We’re now at the time of the semester when students begin to focus on crossing the finish line. Students will be recapturing the rhythm of their class schedules as they make their way toward finals week. Encourage your student to make the most of study days by getting plenty of rest and nutrition. As a reminder, final exams are 12/11-12/16, but students may not have an exam every day that week. Your student should review their syllabi for their exam dates and final commitments.

Make sure to consult with your Eagle first before arranging any winter break travel!

12/4: Last day for residential students to apply for winter break and/or fall extended stay housing

12/11 - 12/16: Fall final examinations, consult with your student before arranging travel

12/17: Fall Commencement ceremonies for August and December graduates

12/17: Residence Halls close

12/23/23 - 1/1/24: University offices are closed for Winter Break

1/11: Residence Halls re-open

1/15: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; no classes, university offices closed

1/16: Spring classes begin

For our social fraternities and sororities, spring recruitment is only weeks away. Whether your student is just curious about the new member process or they're already a proud member of the community, we're pretty sure that you've got some questions. Staff will help explain the fraternity and sorority community makeup, what they do, how they recruit, and how we all work to foster connection and student thriving through the Fraternity and Sorority Life experience. In advance of this session, you may find it helpful to review the range of resources available through the Fraternity and Sorority Life website.

*Students must have earned a minimum of 12 credit hours at AU, post high school graduation or be a transfer student with 12 credit hours from an accredited college or university to participate in recruitment activities in spring semester.

​We invite you to submit questions with your registration or email to [email protected].

Can you engage people in the scholarly pursuits of faculty and build community at the same time? “Challenge Accepted!” said the Center for Media & Social Impact (CMSI) and American University School of Communication (AU SOC) Dean’s Office, and launched the new SOC Professors Doing Awesome (PDA) faculty spotlight talk and lunch series to do just that.

the AU Adoptee Alliance, a student group launched in 2022 to create space for adoptee voices on campus through community-building events, constructive dialogue, and resource sharing. The group, which boasts about 45 members, provides a place of understanding and a forum for discussing the challenges of being adopted, from being asked to create a family tree in elementary school to the inability to provide a full medical history at the doctor’s office.

In a world filled with conflict, people appear to agree that the giant panda is the undisputed global cuteness champion. But that fluffy, round face is also the face of China’s soft power, and the news that all pandas will be gone from the US by the end of 2024 has left many with questions about how these gentle giants first came to the US—and how that cherubic face came to symbolize so much about diplomacy, environmentalism, and relations between the world’s two largest economies.

On November 16, AU’s International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) hosted about 150 international students for a holiday meal during International Education Week. The festivities included games, a fall photo booth, and a gratitude exercise where attendees wrote about what they’re thankful for on colorful leaves.