YEREVAN, Armenia — The fourth batch of the widely anticipated American University of Armenia (AUA) Student-Alumni Mentorship Program launched for the 2024-25 academic year with the highest number of participants yet. University alumni from around the world expressed enthusiasm to mentor the next generation of AUA students, who, in turn, are eager to gain valuable guidance from those who have walked the same path. Following a meticulous and thorough matching process by the AUA Office of Alumni Relations (OAR), 76 mentors and mentees were matched for the fourth batch of the Program.
On November 1, the Faculty Center was filled with curious students and alumni attending the program’s kick-off event, both in-person and online, eagerly awaiting the reveal of their match. Associate Director of Alumni Relations Margarit Hovhannisyan welcomed the attendees and highlighted the value of community engagement through this Program, wishing the mentors and mentees a transformative experience. This year’s participants also had the opportunity to hear from a mentor, Hrachuhi Mirzoyan (MBA ’16), and mentee, Hrach Arzumanyan (BAPG ’26), from the previous batch of the Program, who shared valuable advice and insights.
“An alumni-mentor is kind of a bridge, a tree of life, that gives back to its alma mater, thus linking various generations across the University. This is how I approached my previous mentoring experience,” emphasized Mirzoyan. “I realized that, through this program, we are not only gaining access to industry knowledge, but also to a supportive community that believes in our potential and is eager to help us thrive,” added Arzumanyan.
The match reveal began with the virtual participants, who joined the kick-off event from the United States, Canada, Spain, Poland, The Netherlands, and Sri Lanka. The mentors were excited to greet their mentees virtually and looked forward to their first conversations with them. In the second phase of the revelation process, the mentees whose mentors were attending the event in person were instructed to find their match through an engaging game. A short time later, many pairs were already engrossed in their first conversations. The participants’ glowing first impressions reflected the success of the matching efforts and forecasted a fruitful journey of mentorship throughout the rest of the academic year.
The evening wrapped up with networking and participants expressing their excitement over their matches. The Program promises to forge long lasting professional connections between yet another batch of students and alumni.
The AUA Student-Alumni Mentorship Program, organized by OAR, dates back to 2021 and connects experienced alumni with current AUA students. More than 100 mentors and mentees have participated in the Program thus far, establishing not only meaningful mentoring relationships, but also lasting friendships that extend beyond the conclusion of the Program. Ani Margaryan (MBA ’19), a mentor from the third batch, and Petik Karapetyan (MBA ’24), a mentee from the first two batches, reflect on their experiences building enduring mentoring relationships and lifelong friendships through the Program in the latest episode of the AUA Media Lab Focus Series.
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.
