- 2018 - - 2018 - Annual Report 2017-2018 1 02. Message from the Chair Education is the Table of 03. Message from the President 04. Presidential Commendation most powerful Contents 06. Building and Planning for a New Armenia weapon which you 08. Leading Armenia into the Future 09. Distinguished Alumnus can use to change 10. Keeping Alumni Connected Around the World 12. New Campus Additions Funded by USAID/ASHA the world. 14. Highlights of New Degree Programs at AUA 18. International Grants by the European Commission -Nelson Mandela 20. Center for Research in Applied Linguistics (CRAL): Building English Language Skills from an Early Age 22. Financial Highlights 38. 100 Pillars of AUA 44. American University of Armenia Corporation & Fund Boards of Trustees 48. AUA Executive Team UA keeps on growing. Our This current activity and our future he 2017-2018 academic year community at large, who can join Message second undergraduate class growth will require adding new Message proved to be another year through the public pathway adjacent A has graduated, eighty-seven faculty, programs and facilities. AUA’s T of accomplishments for the to the amphitheater. We are grateful percent of whom are beginning new Data Science bachelor’s degree American University of Armenia. to ASHA and the American people for work or advanced studies, plus a few program is starting. We plan to add Most importantly, we started two new helping us make these unique and from the more beginning military service. an engineering building in the near from the degree programs: a BS in Engineering purposeful facilities available to our Their academic year was extended future with laboratories to support Sciences and an MS in Strategic students, faculty and the community a week to allow a makeup of classes AUA’s commitment to engineering Management. Both are accredited at large. Chair missed during the Velvet Revolution, science and computer and data President by WASC Senior College and with many students supporting a science programs. Many of us believe University Commission, 985 Atlantic In April and May, we witnessed the peaceful government change. AUA that a strong technology industry is Avenue, #100, Alameda, CA 94601. amazing Velvet Revolution. Many of is playing an important role in the critical to the country’s jobs growth Both programs have proven to be our students and faculty participated new government; two ministers and and national wealth. And in addition popular with students, with the latter in the demonstrations and we had to a number of deputy ministers are to the expansion of AUA’s science admitting a good number of our own extend the semester to make-up for AUA graduates, and bring their AUA- and engineering programs, we will bachelor degree graduates. missed classes. Our faculty organized learnt educational values of honesty, enhance and increase instruction and sessions in their classes to discuss the integrity and transparency to their research in our College of Humanities During the year, we had numerous revolution and allow free expression new positions and meritocracy to the and Social Sciences, Manoogian visitors to the University. Notable of opinions from all sides. We are government. Simone College of Business and among them were delegations from very proud that the new government Economics, and in the Gerald and the City of Pasadena, including Mayor includes two of our alumni as Thirteen percent of our students Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Terry Torenk; from the California ministers, three as deputy ministers, come from abroad, bringing their Health. AUA continues to provide State Legislature, including Assembly one as the secretary of the National varying cultures from around strong education to students in their members Adrin Nazarian, Dante Security Council, one as adviser to the world, and AUA is increasing disciplines and more broadly to Acosta, Laura Friedman and Marc the President, and numerous others international recruitment for become well-educated citizens for all Levine and Senator Scott Wilk; and as advisers and assistants in various recognition as a strong regional Armenia. from the US Congress, including ministries. An article in this report university. The Student Union, Congressmen Frank Pallone, Jim provides more details on this topic. Faculty Center and Amphitheatre Our improvements and growth come Sensenbrenner and David Valadao performance venue have just from the dedicated efforts of AUA’s - 2018 - and Congresswomen Anna Eshoo, Among many student success been opened, and construction administration, faculty and staff. They Jackie Speier and Tulsi Gabbard. We stories, particularly noteworthy continues on our dormitory which will continue their excellence with also hosted a visit by President Armen are the participation of a team of will accept residents next year. expanding resources. Fortunately, - - 2017 Sarkissian in April. In October, our students in the international Near the dormitory, with generous AUA’s UC-managed endowment has we hosted a celebration event Wege Prize in Michigan, where assistance from the US Agency for grown from $49M to $58M this year, marking the 25th anniversary of the they placed fourth among 17 teams International Development, we’ll and the AUA endowments managed USAID-Armenia partnership. The from 12 countries; the Breedge start construction on a new building by AGBU have increased from $18M celebration also served as an occasion Team of our Entrepreneurship that will house the Acopian Center to $20M. We’ve received critical to highlight the accomplishments of and Product Innovation Center for the Environment, teaching labs unrestricted support from our 83 the University and the support that (EPIC), which won competitions in for our Master’s in Teaching English Pillars – thank you. And many of you USAID and its American Schools and Armenia and Eastern Europe and as a Foreign Language, and the upper have contributed to our scholarship Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) program went on to compete in the Microsoft two floors will host an incubator funds and endowments, without have provided to make them possible. Image Cup 2018 in Seattle; and the for initiatives dedicated to social which AUA could not have provided EPIC Currencii Team, which was Lawrence Pitts, MD entrepreneurship in collaboration the extensive support that our students Armen Der Kiureghian, PhD During the year, we undertook the accepted in the Startup Wise Guys with Impact Hub Yerevan. Also, need. Thanks also to all of you. We construction of our ASHA-funded acceleration program in Riga, Latvia. Chair AUA has leased from the City of greatly need your continued support in President Student Union, Faculty Center and AUA Board of Trustees Yerevan the park next to campus the years ahead to allow AUA to expand American University of Armenia Amphitheater. The Student Union Thanks to our donors, the value of to develop as a living-learning, and improve its programs. A great provides a much needed modern our endowment grew by almost $10M cyber-physical lab for students, university is constantly evolving – and space for our students to hang out, during the past year. Pursuant to I BELIEVE THAT AUA IS THE faculty, staff and the larger Yerevan AUA will always be moving forward. WE ARE PROFOUNDLY study, and hold Student Council our “need-blind” admission policy, GREATEST INVESTMENT community. Our Entrepreneurship GRATEFUL TO OUR meetings. It also provides space for we continued to give financial- POSSIBLE IN ARMENIA. I HOPE and Product Innovation Center I believe that AUA is the greatest DONORS, WHO MAKE THESE our Center for Student Success and aid scholarships to almost 50% of YOU AGREE AND INVEST (EPIC) just conducted its third investment possible in Armenia. I SCHOLARSHIPS POSSIBLE AND its Math and Writing Tutoring Center. our economically disadvantaged ALONG WITH ME AND ALL THE annual competition. There were 33 hope you agree and invest along with ENABLE STUDENTS FROM ALL The Faculty Center provides a space students. We are profoundly grateful TRUSTEES FOR ARMENIA’S AND applications for membership and me and all the Trustees for Armenia’s SOCIO-ECONOMIC STRATA TO for our faculty to congregate and to our donors, who make these AUA’S FUTURE. access to mentorship and startup and AUA’s future. ATTEND AUA. engage in intellectual discourse. The scholarships possible and enable funds; nine groups were selected multi-purpose amphitheater will students from all socio-economic from among enterprising groups You have my profound respect and be used for staging plays, holding strata to attend AUA. from within and outside AUA, all of gratitude. Thank you. musical performances, viewing films, which have at least one AUA student debating, and many other events, all Thank you for your continued support included. Best wishes. with the direct participation of the of the AUA. 02 03 r. Frazer is Senior Vice Armenia, affiliated with the Dr. President Emeritus of the University of California, was D University of California founded. Dr. Frazer served as the System and Professor Emeritus founding chairman of the Board of of Physics at UC Berkeley. He is a Trustees of the University, and is William member of the Boards of Trustees still a member of the Board. of the American University of Armenia, the Aspen Center for Dr. William R. Frazer has had a R. Frazer Physics, and the Aspen Science decisive role in the founding of Center. From 2006 to 2014 he AUA and all of us, indeed the was a member of the Executive Republic of Armenia, are indebted Committees of the Boards of to him for his leadership during Governors of Los Alamos National the early years of establishing and Laboratory and of Lawrence developing the University. Livermore National Laboratory. In 1978 and 1979, Dr. Frazer chaired the Academic Assembly AUA Presidential and Council of the University of California, which are system-wide bodies through which the faculty Commendation exercise their shared governance responsibilities.