AUA Media Lab Welcomes Three Summer Interns

4 min read

YEREVAN, Armenia — This summer, American University of Armenia (AUA) hosted three interns — Audrey Sears, Sonya Dymova, and Clinton Perkins — who together helped realize the digitization of certain aspects of the AUA Media Lab, including its Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as its website. Each of their unique contributions supported the setup of the program and its services for the AUA community. 

The AUA Media Lab for promoting civil discourse in Armenia, established through a $813,135 grant from the Office of American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), launched on June 6. Its mission is to promote public discourse, strengthen democratic culture, nurture the development of a civic press, foster citizen engagement in social media, and advocate for the proper discernment of information. With a focus on strengthening American values and best practices and catalyzing collaboration with civil society, the Media Lab will serve as a platform for fostering public trust, tolerance, and empathy among various communities. This is expected to improve the media landscape and the level of civic engagement, as well as nurture civic skills that advance an effective and results-driven reform agenda.  

The Media Lab interns were tasked with responsibilities such as writing posts for the Lab’s social media page, filming reels advertising its services, organizing photoshoots, editing photos, and helping create the website for the Media Lab. 

Meet Audrey Sears

Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, Audrey Sears is a Class of 2026 student at Stonehill College, where she studies political science, communications, and journalism. She first became interested in visiting Armenia following conversations with her professor, Dr. Anna Ohanyan, a Diasporan Armenian teaching political science and international relations at Stonehill. After Dr. Ohanyan recommended her for the internship position, Sears partnered with The Armenia Project (TAP), which connected her with opportunities at CivilNet and AUA. 

The first of the interns to arrive in May, Sears was largely responsible for the creation and maintenance of the social media pages of the Media Lab. Working with the Office of Communications’ graphic designers, she set up the profiles and helped plan posts as the Media Lab was launched. 

Sears aided in social media coverage of both the 2024 Undergraduate and Graduate Commencement ceremonies, snapping photos of students in their graduation gowns for the University’s Instagram stories. Throughout July and into August, she worked on developing the Media Lab website and establishing the booking system for the Lab’s equipment and reservable rooms. 

“My favorite part about working with the AUA Office of Communications and the Media Lab was the opportunity to harness my creativity to contribute to a space that will help so many students in the future,” Sears said. “Armenia is such a beautiful country, and everyone is so welcoming. I just know that I’ll be coming back.” 

Outside of her work, Sears connected with the culture of Armenia by appreciating its music, specifically jazz, enjoying traditional foods, and getting to know locals.

Meet Sonya Dymova

Arriving in mid-June, Sonya Dymova is another intern associated with the TAP program. She and Sears were housed together in the AUA Residences, located near the Parajanov Museum and the AUA Najarian Building. 

Born in Altai Krai, Russia, Dymova currently studies in Chicago, Illinois at Northwestern University. She focuses on political science and journalism, also writing for the University’s student newspaper. 

Dymova’s support to the Media Lab through her excellent photography skills and exceptional organization helped the Lab come to life. Her portraits of the Media Lab team on social media introduced the friendly faces who will assist the future visitors of the Lab in the coming semester. 

Dymova also contributed extensively to the development of the Media Lab’s Terms and Conditions and Membership Form, outlining the do’s and don’ts of the space and easing the process of reservation. With her outstanding editing skills and creativity, Dymova’s work at the Media Lab reflects success and hard work. 

“The people really made my time interning at AUA matter. Everyone here is passionate about what they do, whether it’s editing a podcast or designing a space,” Dymova said. “I also absolutely love that the Main Building housing the MediaLab — the one that used to be a center for political education, a.k.a. indoctrination, under communism — now hosts people loving and fostering free-thinking and creativity.”

When not in the office, Dymova dove into the rich culture that Armenia has to offer by going on weekend adventures outside of Yerevan, photographing the beautiful landscape of the country, and connecting with the people around her. 

Meet Clinton Perkins

An international student from Brighton, United Kingdom, Clinton Perkins’ time with the AUA Office of Communications and Media Lab marks his first internship experience. When he attends university in the coming years, he hopes to study film and production. 

As Perkins’ father is professionally based in Yerevan, he often spends summers in Armenia. Hoping to gain experience and widen his horizons, he opted to make the most of his time and boost his resumé by interning at AUA. 

Perkins’ contributions to the Media Lab ranged from social media to data management, as he helped film reels and organize AUA’s photo archive. He also aided in the video production and editing of the Media Lab naming video, which secured funding for the AUA Media Lab and showcased its space filled with cutting-edge technology. 

“I enjoy working at AUA because I love the atmosphere of such a welcoming environment, full of people dedicated to supporting students in their creative endeavors,” said Perkins. “I love being able to use the Media Lab’s high-end equipment to make my visions come to life.” 

In his free time, Perkins enjoyed getting to know Armenia on a more personal level, as a place where he can see himself growing professionally and academically. 

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.