WASHINGTON, May 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, President Jonathan Alger announced that he will step down on June 30, 2026, to become the first America 250 Fellow, a unique joint appointment with the American Council on Education (ACE) and the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). The role represents a culmination of Alger’s lifelong commitment to civic engagement and the public purposes of higher education—two defining themes of his career and leadership. He will also serve as Senior Fellow for Civic Leadership at American University.   

The AU Board of Trustees unanimously selected David Marchick, dean of the Kogod School of Business, as interim president, a role he will assume on July 1, 2026.  

During his AU tenure, President Alger founded the Civic Life Initiative to foster the skills of civil discourse and problem solving. He led the community in developing the Meet our Moment strategic plan and its unique set of pledges to prepare students for careers and success. AU achieved important milestones under his leadership including the opening of the Meltzer Center for Athletic Performance (the campus’ first net-zero building and a hallmark of AU’s commitment to sustainability) and securing the transformational gift to name the Linda A. and H. Kent Baker School of Education.  

“I want to thank our students, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees, and community members for coming together in pursuit of a vision for a future AU that is stronger, more adaptable, and more distinctive than ever. Our work charted a clear and ambitious course, and I look forward to supporting the community from this unique national position,” said Alger. “I have long had a passion for the public purposes of higher education. ACE and AAC&U created the America 250 Fellowship to advance the role of colleges and universities in strengthening democratic institutions, civic learning and informed citizenship as the United States marks its 250th anniversary. I have worked closely with both organizations over many years, and I am excited to shape the national conversation about these crucial topics.”   

“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I want to recognize the meaningful contributions––from our strategic plan to our vibrant campus community––President Alger has made to American University. His new endeavors are important national opportunities to further issues at the core of his career, and we wish him well,” said Charlie Lydecker, chair of the AU Board of Trustees. “The board has asked Dave to accelerate implementation of the Meet Our Moment strategic plan and to drive the university forward. A history major with public affairs and law degrees, he combines a scholar’s curiosity with a record of results and a breadth of experience few can match. He has the full confidence of the board to lead American University in this important moment.”  

Under Marchick’s leadership, the Kogod School of Business transformed its academic offerings through investments and achievements in AI, entrepreneurship, and sustainability and earned nationwide acclaim. Poets&Quants recognized Kogod as the best AI program in the country, calling it “the most consequential AI transformation in business education.” Kogod has been ranked among the top 10 schools nationally for entrepreneurship and sustainability and reached a top 50 MBA distinction in all major rankings, including U.S. News & World Report (where it climbed 76 spots under Marchick’s leadership—the largest rise of any business school over that period). In the last three and a half years, the school has raised $41 million––five times the amount raised in the preceding five years.   

Before joining Kogod, Marchick held leadership roles across two presidential administrations, working on international trade and development; served as a senior executive at the Carlyle Group and a partner at Covington & Burling, and played a pivotal role in the 2020 presidential transition. He taught at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and at Georgetown Law and has coauthored two books.     

“I am honored to serve as interim president of American University and thank President Alger for his leadership and vision,” said Marchick. “At a time when higher education matters profoundly and faces significant headwinds, American University is strongly positioned because of our stirring mission, excellent programs, talented students, exceptional staff and faculty, global reach, and more than 160,000 high-achieving alumni. The unifying thread across everything we will do is preparing every AU student for a complex, rapidly-changing, and AI-enabled world—and ensuing they leave here ready for a fulfilling and successful career.”   

The university’s goals moving forward include: 

• Creating an even more impactful AU experience that continues to attract, support, and launch talented students. 
• Accelerating the Meet Our Moment strategic plan and using the ongoing portfolio review to pursue areas for investment, impact and distinction. 
• Vigorously promoting AU, our people, and the distinctive value of an AU education. 
• Energizing AU’s alumni, parents, and external community and driving fundraising momentum. 

American University will launch a national search for the next permanent president. The search will be guided by the university’s principles of shared governance and led by a representative search committee with members from across the AU community. AU enters this transition from a position of strength—with the opportunity to identify the best candidate while continuing to advance the strategic plan with momentum under Marchick’s proven leadership.    

About American University  

American University leverages the power and purpose of scholarship, learning, and community to impact our changing world. AU’s faculty, students, staff, and alumni shape the future from artificial intelligence to civic life and the sciences. Building on our 133-year history of education and research, AU is committed to addressing the world’s pressing issues.

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SOURCE American University