In her interview to NEWS.am, Silviya Hovnanyan, a 2017 graduate of the UWC Dilijan International School, reflects on her studies at the UWC Dilijan International School, the knowledge she gained, the values underlying her education and training, and her decision to pursue higher education abroad and then return to her homeland.
“Admission to UWC network colleges is quite difficult, but at the same time, deserving applicants are never rejected for financial reasons. Only after they are accepted does the discussion of scholarships begin. Almost 98 percent of Armenian students, as I know, study on scholarship — if not a full scholarship, then they receive a nearly full scholarship. I myself am a recipient of the Ruben Vardanyan Scholarship,” says Hovnanyan.
Hovnanyan explains that while studying at UWC Dilijan, students have the opportunity to not only acquaint themselves with other cultures, but also present the culture of their own people in the best possible light. “We, especially the Armenian students of UWC Dilijan, as representatives of the host country, felt a duty to present our culture to our friends and fellow students in such a way that they would also fall in love with our country and remain attached to this land.”
Hovnanyan shares the story of one of her Japanese classmates, who developed a great interest in Armenia while at UWC Dilijan. Years later, after receiving her university education abroad, she returned to Armenia and is now working here. “It is very interesting to see how a 16-17-year-old student becomes interested in the place where she will live for two years, and the connection she subsequently builds is so strong that she later decides to return.”
Hovnanyan, who received her higher education in the United States, notes that both the knowledge and values she acquired through the UWC network and UWC Dilijan not only helped her gain admission to the best universities in the world, but also became an integral part of her identity. “In general, the best universities around the world place a high value on a UWC education, because the International Baccalaureate (IB) system UWC uses is considered one of the best in the world and opens many doors for us.”
Hovnanyan says that her decision to return to Armenia after receiving her university education abroad was not easy, but the 2020 war played a decisive role in her choice.
“After the war, I resolutely decided to return and invest my money into my homeland, to use the knowledge I gained abroad for the benefit of my homeland and my community. The example of the co-founder of our school, Ruben Vardanyan, who returned and invested tremendously into the progress of his homeland, contributed to my choice. Together with his wife, Veronika Zonabend, the co-founder and chair of the Board of Governors of UWC Dilijan, he dreamed of making it possible to receive an international, high-quality education in Armenia. He dreamed that people from around the world would come to Armenia to receive an education and that our country would find its place on the international educational map. That goal was quite ambitious, but it is becoming a reality…After graduating from UWC, young people go on to study in the world’s top universities and become the leaders of the future. And in the future, when making decisions in their field, they will always keep Armenia in their hearts and minds. And these are not just my words, but those of my friends as well,” Hovnanyan concludes.
İlk yorum yapan siz olun