YEREVAN, Armenia — When Armine Hovhannisyan (MPSIA ’98) enrolled at the American University of Armenia (AUA) in 1995, Armenia was still finding its footing as a newly independent nation. The challenges of the post-war years were evident everywhere, but so were the opportunities to build something new. For Armine, those years would become a turning point that reshaped not only her career but also understanding of her role in society.
Nearly three decades later, she has built a distinguished career in international development, spent almost 25 years with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Armenia, and recently joined the growing community of AUA ChangeMakers, choosing to invest in the next generation of students.
AUA’s Education
Reflecting on her time at AUA, Armine describes it as a defining chapter in her life. “For me, studying at AUA was of particular importance as it concluded a decade-long period of shaping my personality and professional aspirations. In 1998, at the age of 28, when graduating from the Master of Political Science and International Affairs program, I felt renewed, ready, and equipped with political science knowledge, mindset, and skills to start a new life in a new Armenia,” she said.
At the time, AUA was still in its early years, and the University community was small, close-knit, and united by a shared sense of purpose. “We understood that we had access to something rare and powerful, something that didn’t exist elsewhere in Armenia, even broadly in the region,” she said. “To qualify and be admitted to AUA was like a gift,” she added.
Armine’s determination to study at AUA was so strong that she learned English from zero within two years under the candlelight, when Armenia had limited electricity in the early 90s, and completed the final years of her undergraduate studies at the Conservatory on an accelerated timeline so she could pursue a completely new direction. Before AUA, she was already an accomplished professional musician, performing with Armenia’s leading orchestras, including the State Opera and Ballet Theatre, and the State Radio and TV Symphony Orchestra. Yet, the profound societal changes following Armenia’s independence inspired her to rethink her future.
“My life truly divides into ‘before’ and ‘after’ AUA,” Armine says. That transition was not easy, but AUA provided her with both the knowledge and confidence she needed to navigate it. “What made my years at AUA truly unforgettable was both what we studied and how we studied,” she explained. “AUA introduced us to new ways of learning—modern classrooms, computers, Western literature, a rich library, and many educational subjects were entirely new to us. We all were pushing our boundaries day and night, and the atmosphere of friendship and competition gave our studies an extra drive. Our professors did more than teach; they challenged us to think critically and ‘out-of-the-box,’ to see ourselves as active citizens, and to envision our role in shaping a new Armenia,” she remarked.
Among the many professors who shaped her experience, she remembers each for bringing unique perspectives and lessons that extended far beyond the classroom. The practical skills she developed at AUA, strategic thinking, meeting deadlines, overcoming challenges, and working smart, would soon prove invaluable in her career.
Professional Journey After AUA
During the month of her graduation, life presented Armine with two major opportunities. “I received both a marriage proposal and a job offer, and I accepted them both,” she said.
She began her professional career as a United States Agency for International Development project office manager and later founded the Center for Cultural Development and Cultural Policy Studies, a nonprofit organization that supported cultural policy development and regional cultural exchanges.
In 2002, she joined the UNDP in Armenia. “My interest in the UN and UNDP took shape during my studies at AUA, when we had a dedicated course on the United Nations, its structure, and mandate,” Armine explained. “I was particularly inspired by UNDP’s broad development mandate and work at both policy level and on the ground across the globe,” she added.
Armine currently serves as a Results-Based Management Programme analyst at the UNDP Armenia and co-chairs the Monitoring and Evaluation Group of the Armenia–UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2026–2030.
Throughout her career, she has contributed to numerous development initiatives that have helped advance Armenia’s socioeconomic development, governance reforms, climate resilience, and sustainable development efforts. For the past decade, her work has focused on program design, results-based management, monitoring, and evaluation—areas that continue to inspire her academic interests as well.
Currently pursuing a Ph.D., she is researching the intersection of education, citizen engagement, national monitoring and evaluation systems, and governance in the digital and AI era. Her work explores how evidence, participation, and emerging technologies, including AI agents, can contribute to more effective, inclusive, and adaptive public administration, but also policy and decision making.
Looking ahead, she plans to continue serving in her current role while also exploring opportunities to share her expertise with the next-generation of development practitioners, including through emerging academic pathways.
Joining AUA ChangeMakers
This commitment to supporting future generations is also what motivated Armine to become an AUA ChangeMaker. “Opportunities that we create improve society and multiply kindness,” she said.
“When we graduate from AUA, it seems that we will gradually lose the connection with our alma mater. But actually, the ‘DNA of AUA’ lives in us, keeps us connected in some special way, and in other cases draws us back to our community,” she highlighted. “This year when I was watching the graduation ceremony livestream, interestingly, I experienced the same emotions that I had 28 years ago when I was the one graduating,” she added.
For Armine, giving back is both personal and collective. “Giving back to AUA is a way of paying tribute to ourselves in appreciation of different and often difficult life journeys that we embarked on after graduating. It is also paying tribute to our younger generation in Armenia, our successors. Overall, it is a good sign that the culture of philanthropy exists in Armenia. Especially it is important for the younger generation to witness and benefit from such support through their formative years, as I am sure those experiences will foster invaluable other qualities in them and in the societies and communities that they will be building, thus contributing to a stronger social fabric in Armenia,” she emphasized. As a ChangeMaker, she hopes her support will help the University continue expanding opportunities for students, particularly for a stronger education-employment transition.
Armine’s own journey from a musician to a political science AUA graduate, then from a development practitioner to an AUA donor, stands as a powerful example of the transformative impact of education and the enduring connection between AUA and its alumni. Nearly three decades after graduation, the values and vision she discovered at AUA continue to guide her work, her scholarship, and now, her philanthropy, creating new opportunities for the generations that follow.
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 (WSCUC) 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.
