The AU Alumni Association is excited to launch the Jewish Alumni Alliance and the Disability+ Alumni Alliance. These new affinity groups provide opportunities for alumni to connect, network, and celebrate shared experiences. 

The Disability+ Alumni Alliance aims to engage alumni in the already successful network of disabled undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff. “We can take collective action to support access initiatives, create mentorship, promote networking across multiple levels, host events that are accessible and include everyone on campus, and more,” said Katherine Greenstein, CAS/BA ’24, chair of the Disability+ Alumni Alliance. 

The Jewish Alumni Alliance aims to foster cross-cultural understanding, strengthen student-alumni connections, support institutional values, and align with broader societal values. “We will create opportunities for professional development, mentorship, and cultural engagement, ensuring that Jewish alumni feel represented and valued as part of the university community,” said JAA chair Saul Burk, who attended AU from 1965-1968. 

There are currently five other identity-focused affinity groups, along with three industry and interest groups and three groups based on shared student experiences.  

“The expansion of our alumni affinity groups underscores the university's dedication to inclusive excellence and strengthens opportunities for alumni engagement. Welcoming two new groups not only expands representation in celebration of individual identities but also embraces the intersections and collective power of our global community, enriching the vibrant tapestry of American University,” said Edwina Simms, assistant vice president of alumni relations.