AUA Welcomes Incoming Students at 2015 Matriculation Ceremony
3 min readYEREVAN, Armenia – On September 9, 2015, the American University of Armenia (AUA) welcomed incoming Master’s students and its third incoming undergraduate class at the 2015 Matriculation Ceremony. AUA faculty and staff attended the event and welcomed the incoming students and their families. AUA leadership and representatives from each academic program were present on stage, as well as several special guests, including two members of AUA’s Board of Trustees, Sam Simonian and Vasgen Yacoubian. Also present were President Emeritus Bruce Boghosian, Vice President for Development and External Relations Lorraine Alexander, 2nd year graduate student Shabitha Alexander, and 3rd year undergraduate student Artur Hakhverdyan.
Newly appointed Provost Randall Rhodes welcomed students and guests and called upon President Armen Der Kiureghian to take the podium. “We are gathered here to mark an important turning point in the lives of our incoming students,” said President Der Kiureghian. “As you start your journey through this new phase of your life, it is important to take a moment and think of the changes that will happen to you. You’re now university students. In a significant way, this means you are now adults. This freedom is of course enjoyable, as it gives you a feeling of empowerment. But it comes with a lot of responsibility. Now, you have to take charge of your own life.”
Lorraine Alexander, who traveled from AUA’s California office to attend the event, also addressed the crowd, stating, “You’re here because you have decided to come to AUA to continue your education. You got accepted, and believe me, that was the easy part. Now the hard part is ahead of you. You have a responsibility to yourself, your family, and to the many thousands of donors around the world who give money to AUA. You are the future. You are the next generation, and we’re depending on you to be successful.”
Two current AUA students, Shabitha Alexander (2nd year, MPH) and Artur Hakhverdyan (3rd year, BA Business), were also invited to speak at the ceremony. Ms. Alexander, last year’s winner of the prestigious Vartkess M. Balian Merit Award, commented, “Last year at this time, I was sitting in the same place as you with a lot of dreams, like you have now. Since my very first day at AUA, I have had many sleepless nights studying in our university to ensure that my dream is achieved. I would like to take this moment to thank AUA for recognizing our abilities and motivating us to be successful students.”
Artur Hakhverdyan addressed his fellow peers, telling the story of one of the best classes he’s taken at AUA and offering some practical advice: “Take the courses that are the most challenging. Take the courses that you have no idea about. I try to do my best in each and every course I take at AUA, and as a result, I’ve received merit-based scholarships. To get those, I worked really hard. Believe me, I know you want to hang out with your friends and party, but if you manage your time wisely and put a lot of effort into your studies, you will have a good chance of getting a scholarship. I’d like to welcome you to AUA and, four years from now, congratulate you on graduating.”
AUA’s undergraduate program was launched in the fall of 2013 and offers degrees in Business, English & Communications, and Computational Sciences. This year, with over 400 new undergraduate students entering the university, the undergraduate student body will reach over 1000 students.
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.
