I am full of optimism for the future of The American University of Rome and for the power of our international learning community to transform students’ lives, both individually and for the greater public good. Having been personally transformed as a student by living and studying abroad, I can think of no nobler or more exciting mission than enabling students from across the globe to come together for a unique journey of academic exploration and intercultural exchange. 

The American University of Rome was conceived and founded in the era of post-world war hope and mid-Cold War fear. The three founders—David Tyrone Colin, Giorgio Alfred Tesoro, and Lisa Sergio—shared the belief that an American-style education was the only way to prevent the world from tearing itself apart for a third time in a century. International understanding, firmly rooted in democratic values, was the key to a peaceful and productive future.

Today, the institution they founded proudly upholds and exemplifies those beliefs. At a time when the world once again faces unprecedented challenges - climate change, mass migration, political polarization, and authoritarian, nationalistic geopolitics, the world needs institutions like AUR more than ever... our time is now!

Our challenges as a small, tuition-driven institution remain formidable, however. While our student enrollment is stronger than it has ever been, our reliance on tuition revenue alone leaves little room for the ambitious and necessary development plans we envisage - plans that support our community’s unstinting commitment to the values and purpose of a global liberal arts education in Rome.

Scott Sprenger.
President of The American University of Rome.
January 2025.