The Kennedy Political Union

About Us

Founded in 1968, The Kennedy Political Union (KPU) is the non-partisan central political programming board at American University. We bring the most politically relevant and impactful speakers to engage with the AU community and to focus on important issues across the political spectrum. The Kennedy Political Union provides impactful dialogues around current political issues, curating meaningful conversations.

Upcoming Events

Laura Liswood

Secretary General of the Council of Women World Leaders Advisor, Global Leadership and Diversity

Please join the Kennedy Political Union and the School of International Service Undergraduate Council on Tuesday, March 18th, 2025, for a women’s history month celebration with Secretary General of the Council of Women World Leaders, Laura Liswood! The event will take place in The Battelle-Tompkins Atrium (BAT-110). Doors open promptly at 6:30 PM with a 7 PM start time. We hope to see you there!

Laura Liswood is the Secretary General of the Council of Women World Leaders, located in Washington, DC, which is comprised of women presidents, prime ministers, and heads of government. She co-founded the council with President Vigdís Finnbogadóttir of Iceland, aiming to expand understandings of leadership, establish a network of resources for women leaders, and provide a forum for group input on shaping international issues important to all people.

Prior to her current role, Laura Liswood was the Senior Global Advisor at Goldman-Sachs, a global investment bank (2002-2015). She was previously Managing Director of Global Leadership and Diversity for the bank as well.

*Free Chick-Fil-A will be provided!*

Register Here

Election Debrief: Tails From the Trails

10/20/2024

On October 20th, KPU and the Eagle hosted a panel debriefing the election. The panel included Shawna Mizelle who is a 2024 Political Campaign Reporter for CBS. Katherine Swartz who is currently a reporter and Albritton Journalism Institute Fellow. Finally, Rebecca Morin who is a senior national reporter for U.S.A Today.

Check Out The Instagram Recap!

Past Events

Jim Obergefell

12/05/2024

On December 5th, KPU, Equality Onward, SFC, SOC, American Forum, ACLU, AU Pride and AU CDI, hosted Jim Obergefell in recognition of the ten year anniversary of Obergefell v Hodges, the Supreme Court Case on marriage equality. In a conversation moderated by SOC Professor Jane Hall, Obergefell discussed themes related to the case and his concerns for the future of LGBTQ+ rights.

Check Out The Instagram Recap!

January 6th, Four Years Later

01/30/2025

On January 30th, 2025, KPU in collaboration with the School of Communication hosted two officers integral in defending the U.S Capitol on January 6th. Officers Dunn and Hodges discussed with us the impact President Trump’s pardons for the January 6th offenders and what we can do to be more engaged citizens.

Check Out The Instagram Recap!

Meet Our Director: Aidan Skidds

Aidan is a junior from Exeter, Rhode Island in SPA majoring in CLEG and minoring in Justice and Law. He is also pursuing a MS in Terrorism and Homeland Security policy in the SPA Combined Program. His professional experiences have included working in the nonprofit sector with the American Society for Public Administration and on Capitol Hill in the Office of Senator Jack Reed (D-RI). Aidan’s experiences have fostered a passion for the politics of the national security field in which he one day hopes to work.

Meet the Deputies

Deputy Director of Operations: Isabella Rijos-Concepcion

Isabella is pursuing a degree in Legal Studies. From Tampa, FL, Isabella has a passion for photography and baking, with a recent interest in bread-making. She looks forward to working with the freshman fellows and the new team.
Deputy Director of Communications: Emilia Pianalto

Emilia is majoring in Public Relations with a minor in Marketing. Originally from Duluth, MN, she enjoys running, thrifting, hanging out with friends, and exploring new coffee shops in her free time. Emilia is most excited about amplifying KPU's voice on different social media platforms.
Deputy Director of Finance: Isha Mehta

Isha is majoring in Business Analytics. She is from Chatham, NJ, and enjoys reading, visiting coffee shops, and having brunch with friends in her free time. Isha is thrilled to be part of an incredible team.
Deputy Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Outreach: Sara Manandhar

Sara is pursuing a degree in CLEG. Originally from Long Island, NY, Sara enjoys reading, playing music, visiting museums, baking, and collecting comic books. Sara is eager to work alongside other student organizations on campus, planning inclusive and engaging events for all members of the community.
Deputy Director of Production: Kennedy Morgan

Kennedy studies Political Science and Broadcast Journalism. Originally from West Orange, NJ, Kennedy loves dancing, running trails, and socializing with friends. She is particularly excited about holding collaborative events with other on-campus organizations.