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AU School of Public Affairs

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The AU School of Public Affairs was established as part of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal. From knowledge to action to impact.

From FDR's vision for "practical contacts between the collegiate and educational world, and the operations of government;" SPA was born. In 1934, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt began implementing New Deal programs that, among other things, sought to increase “practical contacts between the collegiate and educational world and the operations of government.” He believed that the intersection of

06/18/2026

POV: Your classroom is the city. 📚🏛️

SPA Prof. Derek Hyra doesn't just teach DC policy and politics—he takes students into the neighborhoods shaping the conversation. From community leaders to the streets where policy plays out, this is hands-on learning with real-world impact. No better way to get the inside scoop. 🦅✨

Learn more here: american.edu/spa/metro-policy

06/17/2026

We asked incoming graduate students from Whittier College, Towson University, Bowie State University, and even AU SIS why they chose to continue their education at SPA, and here's what they had to say.
Are YOU ready to choose SPA?

The Jefferson Paradox: Slavery and the American Founding | AU 250+ Lecture 06/17/2026

As Juneteenth approaches, revisit a thought-provoking lecture from SPA's Political Theory Institute. Guest lecturer Cara Rogers Stevens explores the Jefferson Paradox and the role of slavery in the American founding. Watch:

The Jefferson Paradox: Slavery and the American Founding | AU 250+ Lecture This event is part of the AU 250+ at American series, hosted by the...

Reclaiming Authentic Connection—Say Patriarchy 06/16/2026

Psychology Today quoted SPA's Cynthia Miller-Idriss again in an article highlighting how unchecked everyday misogyny normalizes inequality and can fuel broader patterns of violence. Read the writer's personal account here:

Reclaiming Authentic Connection—Say Patriarchy When we stop policing gender norms, we allow ourselves to find connection with one another, regardless of our gender identification or expression.

06/16/2026

A real SPA flex? Insider access. 🏛️

Prof. Alan Levine says what sets SPA apart isn't just our location in Washington, DC—it's the connections. Learn from faculty who know the people shaping policy, build your network on the Hill, and gain real-world experience while you're still a student. That's the SPA advantage. 🦅✨

06/15/2026

🏳️‍🌈 This Pride Month, we celebrate LGBTQIA+ individuals and the research helping build safer and more equitable communities. From anti-trans violence data to gender policing and campus safety, our faculty are tackling issues that matter. Learn more: american.edu/spa/research/index.cfm

The state of LGBTQ+ rights in 2026 06/14/2026

New polling shows declining Republican support for same-sex marriage (37%, down from 55% in 2022) and transgender rights (5%, down from 22%). What do these changing attitudes mean for LGBTQ+ communities? SPA's Andrew Flores weighs in: https://bit.ly/4gfpVkX

The state of LGBTQ+ rights in 2026 What does a reported dip in acceptance mean for the community?

51% of U.S. adults say the American Dream is out of reach for most people right now: CNBC survey 06/14/2026

The American Dream: Is it still within reach?
SPA Prof. Elizabeth Suhay explores shifting public attitudes towards the prospect of economic mobility in the U.S by comparing views from political, gender, and generational lenses, and more. Read: https://cnb.cx/3PXSAk3

51% of U.S. adults say the American Dream is out of reach for most people right now: CNBC survey In an exclusive CNBC survey, 81% of respondents said the cost of living is their biggest financial hurdle to achieving the American Dream.

06/13/2026

SPA's Education and Economic Research Center has urged HHS to preserve Head Start wage and benefits standards, warning that cuts could make it harder for college-based early childhood education programs to meet federal accountability requirements. Read: https://www.peer-center.org/research/head-start-wage-standards

06/13/2026

Experiential learning at its finest! SPA’s Prof. Hyra took his Policy & Politics summer session class on a tour of DC to see for themselves the effects of policy they’re learning about. And that’s the SPA difference!

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Washington D.C., DC
20016