Creating Lasting Impact in Armenia, in Memory of Aram Tarpinian

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YEREVAN, Armenia — In a recent generous contribution that is poised to make an impact on generations of studious academics at the American University of Armenia (AUA), Gregory and Dawn Tarpinian named one of the study rooms in the AUA AGBU Papazian Library in memory of Gregory’s father, Aram Tarpinian. 

Currently settled in Boynton Beach, Florida, the Tarpinians grew up and found academic and professional success on the East Coast. Gregory was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts and graduated from Watertown High School in 1974. A recipient of the AGBU academic scholarship, he received his B.A. and M.A. degrees in economics and completed course work and comprehensive exams for a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. For the last 16 years, he has been serving as managing director of EnTrust Global, an alternative investment firm based in New York City. His wife, Dawn (née Bevier), was born in Detroit, Michigan and boasts an extensive 30-year career in the hotel and hospitality industry. A co-founder of the Bevier-Evans Foundation, Dawn is dedicated to empowering Detroit’s youth for success in the skilled trades. 

As parents to their daughter, Jenna Tarpinian, and grandparents to Aram and Ava Tarpinian-Humphries, Gregory and Dawn have always instilled in their children and grandchildren the importance of education, as well as the notion of giving back to their community. Leading by example, they recently made the decision to name the Aram Tarpinian Study Room at AUA in honor of Gregory’s father. “I wanted a way to support AUA and honor my recently deceased father Aram Tarpinian. Born to two Armenian Genocide survivors and growing up poor during the Great Depression, Aram was able, through hard work, to put himself through Northeastern University (B.S. in chemistry) and MIT (M.S. in metallurgy), before going on to play a leading role in materials research at The Watertown Arsenal, part of the Defense Advanced Research Agency, and in his field as a founder of the Materials Research Society.”

In their own lives, Gregory and Dawn have been inspired by those who came before them and feel there is no better way to honor their legacy than by contributing to the economic and social development of their motherland. “There is no better way to do that than by assisting AUA in its mission to provide leading educational opportunities,” comments Greg. 

Together, they hope that others will follow suit and invest in the future generations of Armenia. “My vision is for a prosperous, democratic, dynamic Armenia that is at peace with its neighbors. The key to achieving that is through exceptional educational opportunities for Armenia’s best and brightest — and AUA is a critical component of that goal, today and for future generations to come,” Gregory expounds. AUA is grateful for the support of the Tarpinian family. To learn more about naming opportunities, click here. 

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. AUA’s Office of Development stewards the University’s philanthropic efforts exclusively for educational purposes.