YEREVAN, Armenia — From February 25 to March 20, students from the American University of Armenia (AUA) participated in the annual Universiada competition that took place at the Russian-Armenian University. The competition brings together students from universities across Armenia, to partake in cultural, sports, and academic contests.
In the dance category, Karine Arshakyan (BSDS ’28) took the stage with the Armenian traditional dance to the music of “Qamancha” by Sayat-Nova.
Victoria Asatryan (BAPG ’28) delivered a heartwarming performance of “Chqnagh Yeraz” with a blossoming love story accompanying the song.
The men’s volleyball and basketball teams both took second place in their respective tournaments for their stellar team work.
The Drama Club staged the story of Orestes focusing on the Ancient Greek literary and mythological interpretation of justice and the judicial system. Anna Poghosyan (BAB ’25), the former club leader of the Drama club, worked on the script, and collaborated with current members to bring the performance to life.
The script revolved around the court case of Orestes featuring Athena as a judge, and the characters were in vibrant costumes, and the humor and delivery of the story secured the second place in the theater competition.
“I was honored to have been invited to lead the team,” said Poghosyan, and added that the club members were excited to work on a new project. “Everyone played their part perfectly and in alignment with the vision I had for them. I couldn’t be prouder and I hope this victory stays with us for a long time.”
The actors were committed to their roles and made sure to perfect their parts by practicing during their time off.
“We spent our break preparing together, which made the whole experience both meaningful and enjoyable,” said Murad Manvelyan (BSCS ’29), who played Apollo.
The social video competition revolved around the “Differences of Indifference” theme. Arpine Balayan (BAEC ’27) and Tatul Ghazaryan (BAPG ’29) worked on the script and produced a video featuring how insensitive expressions of love can be perceived as indifference.
Balayan said participating in the competition was special for her and having the support of her friends made her feel “genuinely lucky to be part of every moment” and added, “I made sure that other participants, like us, didn’t feel alone, and every performance made me proud as if it were my own.”
Chess player Aram Grigoryan (BAPG ‘28) had a busy month representing AUA both at Universiada and at the 27th Annual Student Sports Games organized by the Students Sports Federation. The chess tournament in the sports games was held on March 16 and 17, where AUA men’s and women’s teams competed in rapid and blitz categories among 12 universities and 80 participants. Sargis Sargsyan (BAB ’29) took second place at the blitz tournament.
Asya Yedigaryan (BAEC ’29) who represented AUA for the first time at the competition said, “I am really happy that I managed to keep my advantage and win both individually and as a part of the team.”
Milena Gasparyan (BSCS ’29) took the first place in the blitz category. In the rapid category Asya Yedigaryan and Veronika Khachatryan (BSDS ’26) secured individual first and third place, while the women’s team came first among all competitors.
Beyond the results, the competitions encouraged a shared sense of community, support, and collaboration among the students.
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.
