AUA Celebrates 23rd Commencement Ceremony, Honors Class of 2015
3 min readYEREVAN, Armenia – On Saturday, June 6, 2015, the American University of Armenia (AUA) celebrated the graduating class of 2015 with the 23rd Commencement Ceremony. Trustees, faculty, staff, students, friends, and family members from around the world gathered in AUA’s Large Auditorium to honor the hard work and accomplishments of its newest graduating class.
This year’s ceremony was led by AUA President Armen Der Kiureghian, one of the founders of the university, who has continuously supported the institution’s development since its inception in 1991.
Following an invocation from His Grace Right Reverend Bishop Gevorg Saroyan, President Armen Der Kiureghian gave his welcoming remarks, stating, “This is a special day of celebration for faculty, students, parents, and all the organizations and individuals who worked towards the establishment and development of this institution.” He especially thanked the three main entities that helped bring AUA to life: the Armenian government, the Armenian General Benevolent Union, and the University of California.
President Der Kiureghian also highlighted some of AUA’s biggest achievements from the 2014-2015 academic year, including the reaffirmation of the university’s accreditation for nine years by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), the signing of collaborative agreements with the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of California, Irvine, the launch of the 1915 Centennial Series, the release of a Unison NGO report naming AUA as the only higher education institution in Armenia to provide disabilities services to staff and students, and much more.
President Der Kiureghian also took a moment to acknowledge the faculty, support staff, parents, and spouses for their hard work, dedication, and support to students during their challenging two years of study, as well as thanked the Graduate Student Council (GSC) for their efforts in organizing various activities and events throughout the year to enhance student life at AUA.
Commencement addresses were given by Fr. Mesrop Aramyan, Adviser to the President of the Republic of Armenia and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ayb Educational Foundation and Ayb School, as well as by Richard M. Mills, Jr., the newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Armenia. Ambassador Mills commented, “One of Armenia’s greatest assets is its people – specifically its young people like you. Never forget that your education at AUA has been an exceptional one.”
This year’s ceremony also featured three valedictorian speeches. The Armenian address was given by Varduhi Movsisyan, the English address by Klariss Tahmassian-Kabakian (both from the MA TEFL program), and the third address was given at the Provost’s invitation by Balu Vignesh Thavidu Rajan (MBA/MPH), who opened his speech by reciting famous Armenian poet Paruyr Sevak’s poem ‘Mor Dzerkere’ in Armenian. Addressing his fellow peers, Rajan stated, “Just like the founders of the American University of Armenia, our dream is to continuously build this university through the hard work of graduating students as well as of our fellow alumni. I ask that all the graduates raise their hands and give a promise that we all build this dream.”
Shabitha Alexander, a first-year School of Public Health student, was the recipient of the 2015 Vartkess M. Balian Merit Award. This was the first year that AUA has awarded Teaching Excellence and Research Awards, the funds of which have been provided by Trustees Berge Setrakian, Sam Simonian, and Sinan Sinanian. This year’s Faculty Teaching Excellence prize winners were Martin Galstyan and Mikayel Tovmasyan, both Lecturers in the College of Business & Economics. Research Awards were given to five faculty research projects.
With the addition of approximately 230 new graduates, the number of AUA alumni has reached close to 3,000. The degrees and certificates were conferred to graduates in the fields of business management, economics, public health, computer and information science, industrial engineering and systems management, political science and international affairs, law, and teaching English as a foreign language. The Master of Science in Economics was conferred for the first time in AUA’s history. The program was established in 2013 in cooperation with the RA Central Bank.
As is the tradition, at the end of the ceremony the graduates excitedly threw their caps in the air to celebrate receiving their diplomas.
Among the many guests in the audience were Narine Badanian, a 1995 AUA graduate and her husband Aghassi Yenokian, a 1994 AUA graduate, who were there to see their daughter graduate from their alma mater.
A live stream of the full ceremony was broadcast online. For AUA’s growing international student population, it was especially important for family members to be able to see their loved ones receive their diplomas, even from outside Armenia. Joshua Jayaraj’s mother made the long journey from India to Armenia to see her son walk across the stage. She said, “The great faculty, caring staff, and supportive AUA ambiance all came together to bring tremendous growth in my son’s educational experience.”
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.
