American University President Jonathan Alger is set to step down on June 30, 2026, trading the president’s office for a new national fellowship focused on civic learning and democratic engagement. Alger will become the inaugural America 250 Fellow, a move that sets up a leadership shuffle at AU’s Washington campus, as the Board of Trustees has tapped Kogod School of Business Dean David Marchick to serve as interim president beginning July 1, 2026.
Alger to take a national civic fellowship
According to AU’s announcement, Alger will serve as the first America 250 Fellow, a joint initiative of the American Council on Education and the American Association of Colleges and Universities, and will also hold the title of Senior Fellow for Civic Leadership at the university. AU says it will launch a national search for the next permanent president, and the Board has unanimously selected David Marchick as interim president, effective July 1. The transition is designed to keep AU’s strategic plan moving on schedule, as reported by Kogod School of Business.
What the America 250 Fellowship is
The America 250 Fellowship was created to help colleges and universities strengthen civic learning, democratic institutions, and informed citizenship in the run-up to the nation’s semiquincentennial, according to ACE. ACE and AAC&U describe the collaboration as historic, and Alger said, "I am honored to serve as the first America 250 Fellow." The fellowship will anchor national convenings and public programming aimed at boosting civic education on campuses.
A quick leadership turnaround
Alger was named AU’s 16th president in March 2024 and officially took office on July 1, 2024, putting his planned departure at less than two years into the job, as detailed by American University. That relatively brief tenure has prompted an immediate interim appointment while AU prepares a national search and assembles a representative search committee to identify the next permanent president.
Marchick steps in
The Board chose David Marchick, currently dean of the Kogod School of Business, to serve as interim president. Marchick brings experience in government, the private sector, and higher education. "I am honored to serve as interim president of American University and thank President Alger for his leadership and vision," Marchick said, as quoted by Kogod School of Business. University leaders say his immediate focus will be accelerating the Meet Our Moment strategic plan and keeping fundraising momentum going.
The timing of Alger’s move was first reported by Washington Business Journal, which placed the transition in the broader context of AU’s semiquincentennial programming and civic initiatives.
