GLENDALE, California — Gevorg Nahapetian and Lilia Darbinian’s connection to the American University of Armenia (AUA) goes back decades. For the University’s 35th anniversary, the couple has established the Nahapetian & Darbinian Family Endowed Scholarship Fund, a gift designed to support AUA students in perpetuity.
For Nahapetian, the decision traces back to his own graduate years. He first learned of AUA in 1991 as an AGBU-sponsored graduate student at UC Berkeley and was excited by AUA’s vision of bringing a world-class, Western-style education to Armenia.
The AGBU scholarship changed the direction of his life, giving him the opportunity to pursue graduate education at a well-respected American university and later launch his professional career. This experience left him with a clear sense of what access to education can do for a person’s future and a responsibility to extend that same opportunity to others.
“Supporting AUA is my way of giving back and helping the next generation of students achieve their goals, just as others once helped me achieve mine,” Nahapetian said.
Darbinian’s connection to AUA runs through a different path, one built over more than two decades of direct work with the University’s fundraising operations. As a member of the AUA Corporation, she has worked closely with the University’s Office of Advancement, supporting the financial and administrative side of fundraising and endowment management. That vantage point shaped how she sees the University’s donors and the weight of their contributions.
“Working alongside the Office of Advancement has given me a deep appreciation for the generosity of AUA’s donors and the lasting impact their support has on students and the University,” Darbinian said. “It has also reinforced my belief that every gift, regardless of its size, helps create opportunities and transform lives. Years of watching that impact up close made the decision to give in this particular way an easy one,” she added.
The couple chose to establish an endowed scholarship because of its lasting impact. A one-time gift supports one student once. An endowment offers that same chance, year after year.
Lilia and Gevorg’s hope for the students who eventually receive the scholarship is straightforward: that the support removes a burden rather than adds one . For them, supporting AUA provides the opportunity for talented individuals to pursue their education and achieve their goals. At the same time, it brings a sense of fulfillment and peace of mind, knowing that their contribution is making a meaningful difference in someone’s life.
Learn more about Endowed Named Scholarships at AUA.
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. AUA’s Office of Advancement stewards the University’s philanthropic efforts exclusively for educational purposes.