AUA Co-Founder and President Emeritus Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
2 min readPASADENA, California — On December 8, American University of Armenia (AUA) President Emeritus Dr. Armen Der Kiureghian was bestowed the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Armenian Professional Society (APS) during its 65th anniversary gala event.
APS was formed in 1958 for the advancement of education and fellowship among Armenian professionals. To date, APS has awarded over 300 scholarships to graduate students in various fields in support of their professional and educational endeavors. In 2020, APS and AUA launched the Scholarships for Armenian Heroes program, which provides scholarships to Armenian veterans, or their spouses, earmarked for their education.
The gala event featured speeches by prominent Armenian professionals, music, and the award ceremony. Dr. Der Kiureghian received the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his honorable service to the Armenian community throughout his career, including the instrumental service he has rendered to AUA and his dedication to the advancement of the University from founding to his latest tenure as President. In addition to the influential role he has played in AUA’s history, Dr. Der Kiureghian was also instrumental in establishing the Armenian Studies Program at the University of California, Berkeley and served as chair of its Advisory Committee from 1993 through 2014.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank APS for their contributions to AUA in support of our veteran students in the past three years,” said Dr. Der Kiureghian. “The support you have provided not only enables these students to study at AUA without financial hardships, but also provides them much-needed counseling and support services to help them readjust to student life after their difficult military service.”
In addition to his service as co-founder and president during two terms (2014-19 and 2022-23), Dr. Der Kiureghian has also served on the AUA Board of Trustees and several of its committees. As AUA Pillars, he and his wife Nelly have contributed generously to the University throughout the span of its history, including establishing a named endowed scholarship fund in support of veteran students at AUA.
Photos by: Diana Dzhangiryan
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 and graduate degree and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.
