LOS ANGELES — On Saturday, May 18, at the home of American University of Armenia (AUA) ChangeMakers Vahe and Ruzan Kuzoyan, the community of AUA supporters gathered to ignite change for a brighter future in Armenia. The gala, titled “A Night to Ignite Change: Honoring the Akian Family,” recognized the Akian family for their decades of commitment to AUA and raised $800,000 in support of the University’s efforts to advance higher education in Armenia.
The event underlined the critical role that AUA continues to play and emphasized the importance of investing in higher education in Armenia. Together with his wife, Kuzoyan, who was recently appointed to the AUA Board of Trustees, commented, “We see firsthand the impact AUA has on Armenia’s ability to produce talent based on the alumni hired at ServiceTitan’s Yerevan office. We are big believers in AUA’s mission and want to inspire others.”
Following the national anthems sung by Alene Aroustamian and the invocation prayer by Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, the emcees, AUA alumni Anna Bakunts (MBA ’11) and Hayk Mamajanyan (LLM ’12), took the stage to speak briefly on the impact their AUA education had on helping them find professional success in their respective careers. They also acknowledged the presence of Karen Israyelyan, consul general of Armenia, who shared about the significance of AUA and the Diaspora’s support in Armenia.
President of AUA, Dr. Bruce Boghosian, then took the stage to provide updates on the University’s recent re-accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). The University first received accreditation in 2016, becoming the first institution outside the United States to be accredited by WASC, and recently had its status renewed for a term of ten years, the maximum term offered by the agency. Dr. Boghosian also delved into the importance of the AUA 200 ChangeMakers campaign. “We believe that this vision can be realized by offering our students quality education in multiple disciplines, nurturing a culture of research and innovation among students and faculty, increasing the number of highly qualified academics and researchers in our faculty, and expanding the scope of AUA’s research centers,” he expounded.
The highlight of the evening, which served as the inspiration behind the gala’s theme, was the recognition of the Akian family and their decades-long commitment to AUA. A special video tribute contained a compilation of messages from the University community highlighting the family’s significant contributions and impact they have had on AUA, in Armenia, and within the Armenian Diaspora.
