This story originally appeared in the November 2023 issue of American Magazine.
A society in which everyone can engage safely and securely online is not only critical to American prosperity,it’s a matter of national security.
It was with that sense of urgency and import that Shahal Khan, SIS/BA ’95, made a generous $5.3 million gift to the Change Can’t Wait campaign in April to launch the Shahal M. Khan Cyber and Economic Security Institute at American University.
In partnership with Cyber Range Solutions, the Khan Institute will explore threat scenarios through crisis response simulations and advance scholarship and education on global economic activity and the efficacy of digital programs. The changemaking center will also shape policy, prepare global citizens to thrive in the digital economy, and produce graduates ready to tackle a variety of cybersecurity roles.
“American University is uniquely positioned to lead this trailblazing work, as home to a community of innovative faculty and students who want to effect positive change in the world—not to mention the university’s emphasis on cross-disciplinary work and its location in our nation’s capital,” says Khan, founder of Burkhan World, a Washington-based private investment holding company.
Central to the institute’s programming will be a state-of-the-art cyber range—a secure and controlled hands-on learning environment that simulates cybersecurity systems and threats. The range will equip AU students, faculty, and outside professionals with cutting-edge tools to navigate real-world conditions and explore both the technical and nontechnical aspects of the field. This distinctive approach will offer participants a holistic view of the cybersecurity workforce and the specific roles they may hold throughout their careers.
The institute builds on AU’s interdisciplinary approach to research and its strong foundation in the field of inclusive technology policy. AU faculty across all schools who are focusing on cybersecurity issues will now have a platform to work more collaboratively and creatively, strengthening their networks to advance critical research findings.
The institute will also serve as a convener—essential to uniting technical and policy experts to engage in critical conversations that inform practice and policy. Students, who will have a front-row seat for these discussions, will bring diverse voices and perspectives to the cyber range, where they will gain valuable tactical and professional experience from industry leaders.
As a testament to the Khan Institute’s mission to advance a diverse and inclusive cybersecurity workforce and help equip every American with foundational cyber skills, the Biden administration in July named American University a leading stakeholder in its National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy.
“[Ensuring] everyone [has] the opportunity to strengthen their ‘individual cyber resilience,’ as the White House calls it, is a necessary component of functioning in society,” says Diana Burley, AU’s vice provost for research and innovation, who served as an advisor on the strategy. Burley will also lead the Khan Institute.
Why Centers and Institutes Matter
“One of the criticisms of higher education is that we continue to be very siloed,” says Burley, who also acknowledges the value of independent work.
University-wide centers—like the Khan Institute—address this challenge by creating space for faculty across schools and disciplines to work in concert with one another and orient their focus on problem-based issues. Interdisciplinary opportunities foster diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise that allow faculty to tackle all facets of a particular issue, rather than focusing narrowly on a single area of study.
This impact-driven approach allows donors to support meaningful change on issues that matter to them. AU has created or named four centers and institutes since the Change Can’t Wait campaign’s launch, further catalyzing initiatives that spark new ideas. Together, the Sine Institute of Policy and Politics, Meltzer Schwartzberg Center for Israel Studies, Veloric Center for Entrepreneurship (see sidebar), and Shahal M. Khan Cyber and Economic Security Institute reflect the incredible power of philanthropy to drive distinction and advance scholarship that addresses society’s most pressing issues.
The impact of AU’s centers and institutes reverberates throughout the university. While students are traditionally bound to courses in their chosen academic fields, centers broaden their horizons and prepare them to engage in the workforce with individuals who bring different viewpoints.
The establishment of centers and institutes also marks an important shift in AU’s growth as a research institution and ensures an inclusive approach to addressing today’s challenges and preparing a capable and compassionate workforce of graduates.
Small Business, Big Opportunity
With a substantial gift from the Veloric family, including Kogod Advisory Council member Gary Veloric, Kogod/BSBA ’82, the AU Center for Innovation in October was renamed the Veloric Center for Entrepreneurship. Kogod is now among a small but elite group of business schools nationwide with a named entrepreneurship center—solidifying its position as a leader in this arena.
“This gift will accelerate AU’s entrepreneurship programming, events, competition scope, and awards and ultimately elevate American University and Kogod in the global university entrepreneurial space,” says Tommy White, Kogod/MBA ’95, director of the Veloric Center.
Launched in 2014, the center strives to spark an entrepreneurial spirit among students and encourage risk-taking. Core programming includes myriad experiential learning opportunities for students—workshops, competitions, and the popular AU Business Incubator, which broadens their business and market knowledge, builds confidence, and offers a platform to launch new ventures.
The center “empowers us to broaden our reach as we work to encourage entrepreneurial thinking, learning, and activation across campus,” Danielle Vogel, WCL/JD ’07, assistant director, says.
Students participating in the incubator receive startup grants and access to mentors, networking, and workspace. This diverse, selective program hosts approximately 30 student ventures at a time. To date, those budding businesses have earned more than $10 million in revenue and raised nearly $6 million from investors while in the incubator or within one year of graduation. Ventures still in operation after graduation have earned aggregate revenues of over $30 million.
The Washington Business Journal recently named five AU students and alumni involved with the center to its DC Inno’s 25 Under 25 list. Elli Wachtman, SIS/MA ’22, who cofounded the nonprofit Sikhona Rescue Centre, was among them. “We could not be more grateful for the entrepreneurial advice, network connections, and funding opportunities that have enabled us to educate, empower, and reintegrate 18 survivors of gender-based violence in Kenya,” Wachtman says. “And this is only the beginning.”
From pitch to prototype challenges, competitions foster entrepreneurial thinking—and come with significant rewards that “will hopefully lead to a world full of changemakers,” recent pitch competition winner Declan Block, Kogod/BS ’24, says.
The Veloric family’s own entrepreneurial prowess—spanning four generations across the garment, food, health care, financial, and music industries—provided the vision to advance the center and empower future generations of AU entrepreneurs to take on challenges with vision, resiliency, and creativity.
Poised for Expansion
Foundations and corporate partners helped kickstart their vital work—now, philanthropic investments can expand the reach of two AU centers and ensure their continued impact. Learn more about the Center for Media and Social Impact at cmsimpact.org and the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab at american.edu/spa/PERIL.
Your Impact
AU’s centers and institutes convene researchers, thought leaders, and students to tackle today’s most pressing issues, generate new ideas that inform society and evidence-based policy, and lead change. With a gift to the AU Fund for Faculty, Research, and Innovation, you help catalyze their innovative work and the dissemination of knowledge at AU and beyond. Make your gift today: go.american.edu/innovation.
