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AU in the News

Showcasing AU programs, professors, students and alumni in the news
Weeks of May 24 - June 6

Continuing education in D.C.
American University was featured in The Hill as one of many Washington, D.C. area schools with strong continuing education and masters programs for working professionals. AU president Neil Kerwin offered insight into the programs, saying in a Q & A that with the changing fields, experiencing an education with others making similar career changes is crucial. “Many probably will have very different career experiences and that is vital to learn from them,” he said. (5/22/08)

Parting Words for Graduates
CBS Sunday Evening News reported about the wit and wisdom of 2008 spring commencement speakers, which included video and sound from the first of AU's May 11 commencement ceremonies. Vernon Jordan, who spoke to Kogod School of Business and School of Public Affairs graduates, advised graduates, "Recognize that crises are a part of the cycle of history ... But responding to it is most especially your generation's challenge.” During the package's opening montage, b-roll of the bag pipers walking across the stage was included and a clip from Vernon Jordan's speech. (5/11/08)

The Caffeine Addiction
As reported by New York magazine, coffee consumption has skyrocketed by nearly 20 percent since 1995 following the meteoric rise of the Starbucks chain, with the average cup much stronger than before. “It makes people feel good, it increases their arousal and alertness, and makes them more friendly and sociable and talkative,” says American University psychology professor Laura Juliano, who has done research on coffee and substance-dependence. Juliano also pointed out that the feelings assocated with coffee consumption are also the result of withdrawal maintenance, the irritability that comes with skipping the morning cup of joe. Professor Juliano was quoted on the topic in more than 20 news outlets. (6/2/08)

Slow Economy = Longer Job Hunt
According to the PBS Nightly Business Report, many new college graduates entering the work force are concerned about job placement in light of a slowing economy. American University graduates Emily Thomas and Chis Chester said there is more competition for jobs, and that many are not offering the salaries students were hoping for. “I think there's a higher anxiety this year that I'm seeing,” said Sue Gordon, a career adviser at American University. “When a student sits across the desk from me is that they're just -- they're worried about the economy, whereas in the previous several years, that hasn't been a concern.” Gordon also said the decline in signing bonuses is also an issue. (5/27/08)

Equality in Adoptions
According to a recent report, minority children in foster care face social and psychological challenges when living in homes of a different race, and adoptive parents lack the preparation for special challenges when bringing a child of a different race into their home, reports the New York Times. However, American University sociologist Rita Simon, an advocate of transracial adoption who has written several books on the topic, argues that searching for adoptive parents from the child’s ethnic group only creates delays in adoptions and should not be practiced. ''The research simply argues against the broad notion that transracial adoption doesn't work out for children,'' she said. (5/27/08)

A Moment in History
Barack Obama is now the first African American major party presidential nominee, reaching a historic milestone and making headlines worldwide, reports CBS News Network. "We have never seen a candidate like this," said American University professor of government James Thurber. "It's not just African Americans celebrating his candidacy. It's young people in America. We've had a 20- to 30-percent surge in turnout in primaries and caucuses in America by the young people." (6/4/08)

AU in the News Archives