Boston Community Raises Over $2.7 Million in Support of AUA

BOSTON — On October 5, the American University of Armenia (AUA) raised over $2.7 million at the University’s first gala fundraiser held on the East Coast. Catalysts for Change: Honoring the Avedisian Family was a night of impact, dialogue, and celebration of AUA achievements throughout the past three decades, while also spotlighting the late Edward Avedisian and his wife Pamela for the couple’s transformative contributions to the University since its inception.

The gala was held at the Oakley Country Club in Greater Boston, with guests that included respected members of the community. The evening commenced with a convocation prayer by Reverend Father Vart Gyozalyan, followed by the event committee co-chairs’ opening remarks. Arminé Manukyan Humphrey and Katrina Menzigian took the stage to welcome guests, thanking the event committee and the Development team for their efforts coordinating the gala. As guests enjoyed their dinner, AUA alumna Alisa Chalakhyan (BAB ’19), who also served as emcee, shared about her experiences at AUA and how the education she received there has contributed to her ongoing professional development and academic success:

It was AUA that prepared me for graduate studies at a prestigious school like Columbia University, from which I graduated shortly after becoming an AUA alumna. It was AUA that welcomed me back as an employee at the Entrepreneurship and Product Innovation Center, where I was given the opportunity to create the STRIVE Pre-Incubation Program. With over 500 graduates, STRIVE continues to shape the mindset and skill set of tomorrow’s entrepreneurs in Armenia. And it is in AUA that I plan to invest my findings after completing the doctoral research upon which I have embarked at Pennsylvania State University this fall.

Following the dinner, AUA President Dr. Bruce Boghosian shared further details about the University’s recent accomplishments, including its re-accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. He provided an update on AUA’s expansion plans and notable projects supported through the American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (AHSA) of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), including the new AUA Media Lab, and the receipt of another $1.8 million from USAID/ASHA for the establishment of a new Advanced Biology, Life and Environmental Sciences Lab. Dr. Boghosian also highlighted the University’s ongoing partnership with Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), an initiative that was initiated by former WPI Provost Dr. Diran Apelian in collaboration with faculty at AUA, and remarked on upcoming academic programs set to launch at the University in the near future.

Shifting the focus to the importance of the Armenian Diaspora and the significance of donors’ investment in AUA, Dr. Boghosian commended the Avedisian family for the monumental support they have rendered the University, a partnership that has endured since the institution’s inception and that continues into the next phase of AUA’s expansion. “Tonight, we are here to honor one of the most dedicated donor families, who have been with AUA for decades and have believed in our mission. It is safe to say that AUA would not be anywhere near the size and success it has achieved to date without the generosity of the Avedisian family.”

Guests were then directed to a special tribute video prepared for the Avedisian family, highlighting their various forms of support over the decades, after which Dr. Boghosian announced another major contribution by the Avedisan family.

The Visionary Philanthropist Award was presented to Pamela Avedisian, who recognized her late husband’s magnanimous efforts in service of the institution while accepting the award onstage. “Our aim is for the Avedisian family legacy to continue to grow and support AUA as a leader in new and exciting interdisciplinary fields that will educate the students of today into the leaders of tomorrow,” she said, before reciting a few lines from a poem by one of Edward’s favorite writers, Paruyr Sevak, titled To My Son: “I would not want that your life be like that/ A flat gravel way/ Don’t pass over the asphalt road/ You must prefer to build a road.” She concluded, “That’s what our family wants for the sons and daughters of Armenia: to equip them to be the next leaders and builders.”

A special panel discussion ensued, featuring Dr. Aram Adourian, senior scientific advisor at Flagship Pioneering; Dr. Areg Danagoulian, associate professor of nuclear science and engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Dr. Naira Campbell-Kyureghyan, former and inaugural C. Judson King Endowed Professor at the AUA Zaven P. and Sonia Akian College of Science and Engineering; Armen Mkrtchyan, Ph.D., origination partner at Flagship Pioneering; and moderator Dr. Anna Ohanyan, Richard B. Finnegan Distinguished Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Stonehill College. The group discussed their association with AUA, the role the University and higher education overall play in the evolution of technology and global trends, and the impact of artificial intelligence and the technological revolution on AUA students, Armenia, and the future.

The Zulal trio then took the stage to perform a cappella renditions of classic Armenian folk songs, enchanting the audience with their beautiful harmonies, after which alumna Lida Asilyan (BAEC ’24) addressed the guests. Asilyan commented on how AUA prepared her for her current studies at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and how she plans to apply her newfound knowledge toward educational policy reforms in Armenia upon graduation. She also highlighted the pivotal role of the scholarship she received from the Turpanjian family during her time at AUA and from the Armenian International Women’s Association to support her current studies. “By changing one life, we can change many, and that’s the future I’m committed to building. That’s why supporting AUA is so important. It’s not just about helping individual students like me; it’s about investing in the collective future of Armenia.”

Following a video presentation delineating how AUA prepares students to enter and contribute to the workforce in Armenia, Vice President of Development Gaiane Khachatrian thanked the sponsors and alumni in attendance and recognized the presence of AUA co-founder Dr. Armen Der Kiureghian, thanking him for the gift of AUA.

Khachatrian expressed gratitude to AUA benefactors K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian for their contribution of two buildings that became the AUA Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship and the AUA Student Residence. She then announced a tremendous display of support by AUA Pillars Matthew and Margarethe Mashikian, who named the dormitory the AUA Mashikian Student Residence through a transformational $1 million gift, followed by a video from the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Khachatrian proceeded to express gratitude to the entire Boston community of AUA supporters for making the event a resounding success. Proceeds raised from the gala will go toward bolstering the mission of AUA in providing quality higher education for bright students in Armenia.

https://massispost.com/2024/10/boston-community-raises-over-2-7-million-in-support-of-aua/