OAKLAND, Calif. — About 50 Bay Area supporters of the American University of Armenia gathered at the home of Stephan and Sylvia Melikian on the evening of Saturday, October 23 to welcome incoming American University of Armenia (AUA) President Dr. Bruce Boghosian and his wife, Laura Boghosian. The event was hosted by the Melikians and by Francois and Suzy Antounian, long-time supporters of the university.
In opening the evening, AUA’s vice president of Development and Government Relations, Bruce Janigian, expressed his gratitude to the hosts for opening their home to celebrate the growth and development of the university.
UC Berkeley professor, Dr. Armen Der Kiureghian, a founder of AUA and a member of its Board of Trustees, introduced Boghosian and his wife to the guests.
Boghosian, who had just returned from Yerevan after spending nearly two months at his new post, summarized the core programs and activities at the university. He described the hard work and dedication of the university’s employees and students, as well as the benefits of the American style of graduate education.
AUA is one of the most visible American presences in Armenia, providing educational opportunities that are largely complementary to those of the country’s other universities.
The event was attended by numerous Bay Area AUA alumni, who conveyed the pivotal role that AUA played in their lives and careers. They all shared the view that the establishment of the university in Yerevan was one of the most important and significant investments in Armenia’s recent history.
