Up and Running: AUA’s Center for Student Success

2 min read

By Garine Palandjian, Coordinator of Student Services

Wednesday – July 10, 2013

The opening celebration of the American University of Armenia (AUA)’s Center for Student Success took place Wednesday, July 10, 2013, with over 30 faculty and staff members. AUA President Dr. Bruce M. Boghosian delivered the opening remarks reflecting back two and a half years ago when the idea of starting the undergraduate programs first began blossoming.  He shared how the idea of student services developed within those discussions so that students would be successful during their educational experiences.

Over the last few months, Dr. Boghosian commented on how quickly the second floor, west wing of the Main Building transformed “from a hallway to a very comfortable area for our students”. The Center will provide students with many kinds of services including mentoring and tutoring, and will host student workshops on various topics.

Packaged within this space is also the Math and Writing Center. The Math and Writing Consultant Student workers were also present at the event. Melina Nazaryan, a writing consultant and second-year graduate student in the business administration program explains, “Our role as consultants is quite tough…We are not here to find answers to the problems, we are here to show them how to reach proper solutions for their problems.”  Another student worker Mikayel Charchyan, a math consultant and second-year graduate student in the business administration program,  also shared his vision of the Math and Writing Center,  “…[it’s] about guiding students in the process of becoming more effective learners…”.  These student workers will be providing tutoring services throughout the year to undergraduate students who will be able to either dropin or schedule appointments in advance.

With the arrival of the undergraduates, new student life and activity will develop on campus,including student clubs and other extracurricular activities.  Provost Dr. Dennis Leavens explained the significance of active student participation in extracurricular activities housed in the Center.  “AUA strives to educate the whole person, so social activities and the development of soft skills are necessary in that education, not just for well-roundedness, but also for employability skills.”  Activities and programs planned for the academic year are aimed at inspiring and challenging our students, both inside and outside of the classroom.  Some of the student activities that will take place in the Center include workshops on topics ranging from how to use Moodle to how to live a healthy lifestyle.

The Center for Student Success’ Math and Writing Consultants

 

AUA President Dr. Bruce M. Boghosian giving the opening remarks at the opening of the Center for Student Success

 

Library Systems and Electronic Services Librarian Tatevik Zargaryan and Experimental English Classes Instructor Naira Stepanyan at the opening of the Center for Student Success