YEREVAN — As both donors and employers, Sevag and Jackie Ajemian’s commitment to Armenia and the American University of Armenia (AUA) is intertwined with their daily lives. They recognize the high quality of education that AUA provides, thus hiring AUA students to work in their Globanet office in Yerevan. As annual scholarship program supporters, they directly impact the lives of Armenian youth studying at AUA.
Sevag is the President and CEO of the software company Globanet, which he founded in 1996 after graduating from USC. Globanet is a premier provider of email archive migration, compliance, and eDiscovery solutions. He later expanded Globanet’s services to Armenia to provide new job opportunities and spur economic growth in his beloved homeland.
“I realized early on that there was a shortage of software programming talent, and I felt the country could benefit from people who are in the computer science and engineering fields,” Sevag says. “I had noticed in my own team and other teams that females were especially enthusiastic to join software development, and I wanted to further encourage that enthusiasm.”
In December 2018, Sevag and Jackie Ajemian committed to contributing to AUA’s scholarship program in support of a female enrolled in the Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science and Engineering. The first recipient of their scholarship support was Armine Papikyan, a freshman student from Gyumri studying data science. “I was so impressed by Armine; her story, her background, and her enthusiasm to learn and explore the world,” recalls Sevag, reflecting on meeting the scholarship recipient. “I was treated with such professionalism that I could barely hold back my enthusiasm and emotions.”
The Ajemians have pledged to continue their annual scholarship support which will provide funding for Armine to complete her undergraduate degree and lead her into a promising future for herself. “Sevag and I want to do our best not only to contribute economically to Armenia’s workforce, but also to help the next generation receive the education they need to succeed and lead Armenia to become the next technology cluster in the world,” says Jackie.
Sevag and Jackie named the scholarship in memory of Sevag’s father, Bedros Karnik Ajemian. A scholarship at AUA is a great way to honor a loved one. “In Beirut my father was sponsoring the education of others. When he passed away a couple of years ago, I decided to follow in his footsteps and support students in financial need through scholarships. Naming the scholarship in his honor was very meaningful,” Sevag says. Through this named scholarship sustained by his son and his daughter-in-law, Bedros Karnik Ajemian’s legacy will live on at AUA, empowering many Armenian students through the gift of education.
Petros Mkheyan, who serves as a Software Developer at Globanet’s Yerevan Office, is a sophomore student at AUA from Gyumri studying computer science. He completed his military service in Artsakh in 2018 and is now continuing his education along with working. “The dedication to school and his work that Petros has is just amazing,” says Jackie.
“Seeing that other people care about your education reminds you of how valuable it is. It’s a big motivation for me and for others like me,” says Petros. “I always wanted to develop something innovative, something that will change the world. I don’t know what exactly, but I’m working on figuring it out. My biggest goal is to be able to change one person’s life, at the least.”
The Ajemians are generous contributors in promoting AUA’s mission through scholarship support and creating jobs. With such win-win solutions, employers are counting on AUA graduates to excel in the workplace. The Ajemians continue to promote AUA in preparing future leaders to enter the workforce and contribute to growing the Armenian economy.
