Second AUA Student Is the Recipient of the Alumni Scholarship Endowment Fund
2 min readYEREVAN, Armenia – Vanadzor, Armenia native, Inesa Petrosyan, recently became the second American University of Armenia (AUA) Alumni Scholarship Endowment Fund recipient. Petrosyan is pursuing a master’s degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language at the University.
The AUA Alumni Scholarship Endowment Fund was established in 2013 on the occasion of the 20th anniversary reunion of AUA’s first graduating class of 1993. The fund started with initial donations, amounting to about $35,000, collected by the 1993 graduates and a number of other AUA community members. Following additional donations from subsequent classes variously holding their 20, 15, 10, and 5-year reunions in 2014 and 2015, its market value reached $83,813, as of June 30, 2015. AUA President Armen Der Kiureghian and his wife, Nelly, were among the first contributors to the fund.
Petrosyan sought admission into AUA because of the University’s “unique style of teaching.” According to her, professors at AUA are always ready to help, use modern materials and texts that are applicable to the requirements of Armenian society today, and utilize interactive and hands-on methods to give practical and useful information. “I strive to be an excellent student and to absorb the most up-to-date methods of teaching English. Luckily, AUA gives me the opportunity to do so,” Petrosyan said.
Petrosyan, who hopes to work for a private language school once she graduates in 2017, deeply values the alumni’s efforts to support students like her. “I really appreciate the support of the alumni. They chose a great way to give back to AUA. Without this support, I would never have considered studying at AUA as an option,” Petrosyan said, noting that being from one of Armenia’s regions was an added challenge in her effort to obtain an AUA education.
The 22-year-old Petrosyan has already given some thought to how she would give back to the University, once she graduates and establishes herself more firmly. “What I am planning to do is to help extend the reach of AUA into Vanadzor, where, I am sure, a lot of students are looking to obtain quality education and build a successful future,” Petrosyan said.
Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia and affiliated with the University of California. AUA provides a global education in Armenia and the region, offering high-quality, graduate and undergraduate studies, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting public service and democratic values.