School of International Service on a map
4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016 United States
Student Life
The Community of Scholars program gives high school students the opportunity to experience a slice of college life and broaden their understanding of international relations.
Attend briefings at government sites across the city.
Get a glimpse of what it's like to be a student at SIS.
Learn from our world-class faculty, who are invested in the future of our Community of Scholars students. SIS faculty lead classes both online and on-campus on topics such as international conflict and US foreign policy.
Take in all that DC has to offer with tours of the city and its many museums, historical buildings, and monuments.
Develop lifelong friendships with your fellow classmates.
Students will have the opportunity to attend briefings at institutions, such as the U.S. Department of State, World Bank, embassies, and the United States Institute of Peace.
During the program, students will have the opportunity to hear from guest speakers, including diplomats and U.S. government officials, on a host of issues regarding international affairs. Students are encouraged to ask questions and learn first-hand from these experts in the field.
On several afternoons, students will attend skills-building workshops, including a panel of AU alumni discussing careers in international relations and a session on the college admissions process given by representatives from AU's Admissions.
Students will have free time to enjoy campus life, whether working out at the fitness center or relaxing on the quad or at one of AU's cafes. Structured evening activities may include an opening barbecue, an evening monument tour, a "Capitol Steps" performance at the Ronald Reagan Building, and "International Night—an on-campus event with food and festivities from around the world. In addition, chaperone-led trips to the Smithsonian museums, Georgetown, and the National Zoo will be organized for the weekend.
Dormitory housing is available for the campus segment of the program. Students will be housed in air-conditioned doubles or triples in a centrally located dormitory on AU’s beautiful northwest Washington, DC, campus. All linens—sheets, blankets, and a towel— will be provided. AU upperclassmen, as well as a senior resident advisor, will live in the dormitories and serve as mentors throughout the program. The front desk of the dormitory is staffed 24-hours a day, seven days a week. The front doors of the dormitory are kept locked at all times; students swipe their AU student ID cards every time they enter. Wi-Fi is available in the dorms and students are encouraged to bring laptops if they own them; however campus computers are available to students in the library.
Meals are served in the Terrace Dining Room (TDR) in the Mary Graydon Center. The hours of operation are the following: Breakfast (7 - 9 am), Lunch (11 a.m. - 2 p.m.), and Dinner (5 - 7:30 p.m.). On some days, students will be allowed to take the AU shuttle to AU's Tenleytown campus which is adjacent to several eating places, such as Panera Bread, Chipotle, Z-Burger, and Whole Foods.