Sections - AWOL

Behind the screen: social media fuels political divides for DC students

Students report fear and hate on campus due to politics online.

Sage Collis, Staff Writer • March 12, 2025

Sophia Joseph, a senior at American University, published an open letter on Sept. 17, 2024, responding to an Instagram post by the American University College Republicans. The AUCR Instagram post said,...

Education students feared loss of their school while massive gift was in the works

AU administrators secretly planned a large private donation to the School of Education for months, even as students and the public believed the school could be dissolved.

Ben Ackman and Ava Ramsdale • March 3, 2025

On the evening of Nov. 12, 2024, 40 students stood in the Katzen Arts Center rotunda, listening to two juniors in the School of Education read an email the then-SOE Dean Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy sent that...

Remembering American Airlines Flight 5342

Memorials across Washington honor victims of Jan. 29 plane crash.

Natalie Monga and Beverly Freidenrich • February 14, 2025

Vibrant memorials honoring the victims of the Jan. 29 plane crash over the Potomac River have been established in downtown Washington. After an American Airlines passenger plane collided with a U.S....

Protestors reject DOGE and Elon Musk

Prominent lawmakers and activists led an anti-Musk demonstration outside the U.S. Treasury Department.

Ben Ackman, Benjamin Austin, and Daisy Bateman • February 10, 2025

On Tuesday, protestors gathered outside the U.S. Treasury Department on 15th Street Northwest to protest Elon Musk’s influence over the government agency. Musk heads the Department of Government Efficiency,...

Thousands rally at the Lincoln Memorial days before Trump’s inauguration

Protestors from around the country gathered in Washington to voice their concerns for the new presidency at the People’s March.

Benjamin Austin, Conny Galvez, and Natalie Monga • February 7, 2025

Thousands rallied on Jan. 18 at the People’s March in Washington to advocate for women’s rights ahead of President Donald Trump’s second inauguration. Activists showed up in support of various...

Lunar New Year Parade takes over Chinatown

Families from the Washington area gathered to celebrate community, culture and history.

Daisy Bateman and Jacob Saucier • February 4, 2025

Crowds lined the streets of the district’s Chinatown on Sunday for the annual Lunar New Year Parade, a vibrant celebration marking the arrival of the Year of the Snake. The event was hosted by the Chinese...

In downtown Washington, President Trump’s supporters celebrate, shiver and gloat

Thousands endured long lines and frigid temperatures celebrating Trump’s second inauguration.

Ben Ackman and Benjamin Austin • January 22, 2025

Thousands of Trump supporters gathered in downtown Washington on Monday for President Donald Trump’s second inauguration. In a city where less than 7% voted for the Republican, Trump supporters stood...

In the shadow of the presidential election, Women’s Marchers seek hope from one another

The future of reproductive rights is murky. Still, activists are finding determination in solidarity.

Will Sytsma and Ben Ackman • January 15, 2025

In the early afternoon on Nov. 9, 2024, protestors gathered at Washington’s Columbus Circle as the bass of a distant go-go band thumped through Union Station. They took photos with their signs by the...

Finding the jungle in the urban jungle

Despite obstacles to access, students explore outdoor life in the district

Stevie Rosenfeld, Staff Writer • December 20, 2024

American University is in a city abundant with nature. Students can step off the metro and walk onto the green of the National Mall. The red line takes Washingtonians to both Fannie Mae, one of the district’s...

Riding the Red Line

An artistic look at the Metro’s Red Line.

Claire Gover, Multimedia Producer • December 13, 2024

Weaving into the city and back into Maryland, the Washington Metro’s Red Line travels through a variety of different neighborhoods, from the bustle of Union Station and Metro Center to the calm environment...

Community Profile: Julia Ford

Finding community through coffee.

Stella Camerlengo, Staff Editor • December 13, 2024

Julia Ford is the Manager of The Davenport Coffee Lounge, a student-run coffee shop at the School of International Service. A low-income student and first-generation college student, she hopes to see The...

AU alumna and journalist Tara Palmeri speaks at the School of Communication

Palmeri reflected on her career and the importance of maintaining authenticity in an age of disinformation.

Stella Camerlengo, Staff Editor • December 12, 2024

On Oct. 17, journalist and American University School of Communications alumna Tara Palmeri returned to her alma mater to share insights from her career covering politics, offering advice on navigating...