On any given Wednesday afternoon, American University’s quad is packed with people swarming for free food, branded giveaways and carnival games.
Annie Thompson, a junior in the School of Communication, said she thinks this weekly display of fun is a vital aspect of the University’s identity. Without it, she said she doesn’t think it would be the same.
“I chose this school, actually, pretty much because of this quad,” Thompson said.
Bennett Wright, a recent graduate from the College of Arts and Sciences, said the greenery around campus in the spring makes the quad even more inviting. According to Wright, most students try to take advantage of the weather through the quad.
“It’s a privilege to have a campus with the amount of green space and beautiful landscaping that we can kind of enjoy,” Wright said.
The University was ranked the fourth Most Beautiful Urban Campus by Best Choice Schools in 2021. American University has over 5,000 trees across its grounds, making the campus an arboretum, and also has over 500 different species and woody plants on display.
Beyond these luscious aesthetics, the University also emphasizes valuing sustainability through campus-wide initiatives. Whether it’s participating in the Campus Race to Zero Waste competition, the EcoPledge program that promotes making sustainable choices in everyday life, or in being the first university in the United States to reach carbon neutrality, the University makes it a point to showcase its care for the environment.
As the number of trees across campus shows how the University cares for the environment, its quad shows how the University cares for students.
“Thank Clawed It’s Wednesday,” a relatively new weekly tradition sponsored by the Student Spirit and Traditions Board, aims to cultivate community on campus, according to its website. During Thank Clawed It’s Wednesday, students can support local businesses and street vendors while enjoying music and games provided by the University.
Madeline Wentz, a sophomore in the School of International Service, said she looks forward to the different events and vendors every Wednesday, including the farmer’s market.
“Because I have a class before ‘Quad Wednesday,’ I’m always eager to get out of class to see what’s happening,” Wentz said.
Elias Garcia, a sophomore in SOC, said he thinks the University doesn’t have many traditions or strong school spirit, so he is looking forward to seeing how these events hold up in the coming years.
“It would be interesting to see four years, two years, three years down the line how much these actually stick,” Garcia said. “If the spirit kind of builds or if programs are kind of sticking.”
The farmer’s market sets up shop on select Wednesdays during the semester. Some vendors sell clothing, while others sell food. This past semester featured street food from 88 Dumpling, DMV Empanadas and The Crepe Shoppe.
Nora Dudely, a recent graduate from the School of Public Affairs, said the empanadas are her personal favorite.
“I love the empanadas,” Dudley said. “It’s nice to change up the food options, so I’ll kind of plan ahead on Wednesdays to not have to bring anything, because y’know there’s empanadas.”
Some students said they feel the quad is the perfect place to slow down, relax and enjoy the company of their peers amid the University’s quick-paced academic environment.
“That’s why I love the quad,” Thompson said. “I can just run into all different types of people and have different conversations.”
This article was edited by Olive Redd, Payton Anderson and Gabrielle McNamee. Copy editing done by Avery Grossman, Arin Burrell, Mattie Lupo and Nicole Kariuki. Fact-checking done by Luca Palma Poth.
features@theeagleonline.com.
