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GLENDALE — The American University of Armenia (AUA) announced the successful completion of the Yes, Armenian Women Can! (YAWC) scholarship campaign.
In 2018, the AUA Office of Development launched an ambitious initiative to raise $2.5 million in endowed scholarship funds that would support hundreds of bright women studying at the Akian College of Science and Engineering at AUA. The campaign was developed in light of the urgent need for increasing Armenia’s self-reliance and sustainability through strengthening its growing technology sector, while recognizing the importance of bolstering the involvement of women at this juncture in history.
With the support of the donor community, the program was able to make strides in empowering young women at AUA to achieve success within these fields. AUA benefactor Sandra Shahinian Leitner, trustee of the SJS Charitable Trust, was quick to lend her support when the campaign was launched. “’Yes, Armenian Women Can’ is more relevant than ever in these times – this valuable program empowers women to innovate, blaze trails and achieve their potential,” Sandra says.
One of the beneficiaries of the SJS Charitable Trust endowed scholarship, Maria Miskaryan (BSDS ‘24), expresses her gratitude: “I have been working as an AI Engineer for over two years, and AUA gave me the fundamental knowledge to succeed in this role. I am deeply grateful to my scholarship donors, as my achievements wouldn’t have been possible without their generous support.”
Soon after the launch of the campaign, a significant increase in female enrollment was recorded within these degree programs, attesting to the University’s success in achieving the central goal of the campaign. As a result, AUA was able to broaden its impact to address the relevant skills gap for women to similarly achieve mastery in entrepreneurship, leadership, management, organizational and financial planning, and beyond. To date, hundreds of women have benefitted from the campaign, with many alumni going on to find success in their careers within the workforce of Armenia and beyond.
“Equipped with an AUA education, our female students have utilized the academic resources and professional development opportunities made available at the University to graduate and take on positions within leading companies in Armenia,” comments Gaiane Khachatrian, Vice President of Development.
The University would like to extend its gratitude to the generous donors who have supported this campaign through their impactful contributions, and especially the Elias and Elizabeth Kaprielian Trust for bequeathing a major gift that helped AUA bridge the gap and reach the campaign’s goal.
The empowerment of the talented, ambitious, and inspiring women at AUA will continue to echo ripples of positive change in Armenian society. Together with their male counterparts, these students are able to open doors of opportunity that would otherwise not have been available to them. Silva Yeghiazaryan (BSCS ‘25), recipient of the Elia Kahvedjian and Arakel Dirtadian scholarship, says, “I am grateful to my donors for providing me the opportunity to realize my goals. I intend to work hard and help make Armenia one of the leading countries in the field of tech.” Her classmate, Karine Movsesyan (BSCS ‘26), recipient of the Yes, Armenian Women Can! endowed scholarship, adds, “I’d like to express my deepest gratitude to my scholarship donors for investing in my education. The campaign makes it possible for me to pursue a quality education in the field of tech, which only encourages me to work harder and reach my goals.”
Given the University’s current expansion plans, AUA will continue to accept contributions in support of female students who have indeed exemplified that yes, Armenian women can and will!
To learn more, visit: https://yawc.aua.am
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