AUA Students Receive Best Student Awards
2 min readYEREVAN, Armenia – The American University of Armenia (AUA) is proud to share that two AUA students swept first-place awards at the annual “Best Student” nationwide competition, held on December 24, 2019. Organized by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the Republic of Armenia (RA), the competition aims to encourage undergraduate and graduate university students with the highest academic records who engage in community service and strive for professional achievements.
Anna Isahakyan (MPH ‘20) was awarded first place in the field of medical sciences among graduate-level health professionals in 2019. She is one of the best-performing students in her cohort. She has impressive volunteering, internship, and work experiences in such organizations as Fund for Armenian Relief and the Armenian Red Cross Society, among others. Isahakyan holds a Medical Doctor’s degree in general medicine from Yerevan State Medical University and currently works as a health education specialist at the National Institute of Health, RA Ministry of Health. She is part of the team that developed MYdiet startup with support from AUA’s Entrepreneurship and Product Innovation Center (EPIC).
“I was quite surprised, but I am earnestly grateful for the recognition I have received for my work. It is a huge responsibility and I hope this achievement will be another step, which will lead me on the path to becoming one of the best public health specialists. Winning the ‘Best Student’ award would not have been possible without the inspiration and encouragement I have received from the faculty and staff of the AUA Gerald and Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health, my classmates and family,” noted Isahakyan.
Emma Hovhannisyan (BA EC ‘20) received the first-place “Best Student” award in the field of humanities among undergraduate students. She is one of the top-performing students in her cohort and has been awarded a full academic scholarship for three consecutive years. Hovhannisyan has gained teaching experience at Birthright Armenia in her freshman year. She currently teaches English online to international non-native speakers of English and works as content writer for an Armenia-based branding agency. She also has a number of hobbies, such as playing the guitar, singing, and creative writing.
“I work very hard every day to make sure neither my job performance nor my studies suffer from my busy schedule,” said Hovhannisyan. “I am currently in the process of applying to universities abroad for master’s studies in the field of literary studies.”
The winning students received certificates and named scholarships from the RA state budget. The awards were presented by RA Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Dr. Arayik Harutyunyan and covered several fields, including natural sciences, social sciences, Armenian studies, humanities, medical sciences, engineering, culture, and sport.
Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.