Tracey Myers-Preston has been an American University supporter since she was an infant. In fact, her first time on campus, she was eight months old and visiting her father, Don Myers, at work. 

Tracey grew up watching her father become an outstanding example of “once an Eagle, always an Eagle.” Don Myers devoted his time to AU, spending over four decades on campus and 32 of those years as CFO. Don also made education at AU a priority, earning his MBA from the Kogod School of Business.

AU continues to be a part of their family. Tracey and her husband Michael encouraged their four children to consider AU, and all four decided that AU was the right choice for them. Tracey and Michael are the parents of three alumni, Elyse, Allie, and Michael Jr., and one current student, DJ. 

Elyse, SPA/BA ’15, used her AU degree to serve at two youth development non-profit organizations in Baltimore and was recently recruited to work at a communication firm in DC. She is currently pursuing a master’s in entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership at UMBC. 

Alexandra (Allie), CAS/BA ’17, is a candidate for Juris Doctorate at Northeastern University School of Law, where she is a recipient of the Health Law Scholar Scholarship. 

Michael Jr., CAS/BA ’16, is a research fellow at the National Institutes of Health working in neurophysiological pharmacology. His interest in the interdisciplinary fields of computational neuroscience and neuroengineering led him to apply to PhD programs, ultimately choosing to join the neurosciences graduate program at the University of California San Diego.

Donald (“DJ”), the youngest, jokes that “contrary to what you might believe, I did actually have a choice in where I was going to go to college…after researching a number of schools, it became clear that AU really was the right school for me. A little over a year in, I have never regretted my decision.”

The Myers-Preston family is just one of many dedicated, devoted legacy families. At AU, a legacy is recognized as an alumnus/a or student who is the child, grandchild, parent, or grandparent of an American University alumnus/a (undergraduate or graduate program). Our Legacy Alumni Network continues to grow, currently including more than 1,300 families worldwide. 

To find out more and become an active member of the Legacy Alumni Network, please visit our website.