AUA Celebrates 33rd Commencement

YEREVAN — On June 7, the American University of Armenia (AUA) held its 33rd commencement ceremony to bid farewell to the Class of 2025. Held in the AUA Large Auditorium, the ceremony was a triumphant salute to over 500 students receiving their degrees. Gracing the graduating class with their presence at the commencement were AUA President Emeritus Dr. Armen Der Kiureghian, outgoing Chair of the AUA Board of Trustees Dr. Lawrence Pitts, incoming Board Chair Zaven Paul Akian, and AUA trustees. The celebration, which was also live streamed, was attended by family and friends of graduates, as well as AUA community members.

AUA President Dr. Bruce Boghosian opened the ceremony with his congratulatory remarks: “Your academic journey has unfolded during a time of great uncertainty in world history. The instability, geopolitical tensions, economic disruptions, rising inequality, and environmental crises have had tangible ramifications on the environment in which your generation has come of age. In Armenia, these global uncertainties are compounded by the lingering effects of war, unresolved border tensions, political polarization, and severe economic inequality.  Nevertheless, you have responded to this turbulence with remarkable resolve. You adapted, you persevered, and you chose to build rather than retreat. Your pursuit of excellence, spirit of innovation, and deep sense of community are the defining features of the legacy you will leave in our University’s history.”

The President’s address was followed by farewell remarks by Dr. Pitts, in light of his retirement  from the chairmanship of the AUA Board, a position which he held for 13 years. In this role, he is succeeded by Akian. “It has been a pleasure and an honor for me to have served on the Board of Trustees and represent the Board. The entire purpose of the Board is to support the University in its growth, its quality, and its ability to add to the quality of life in Armenia. I think you should be proud to be part of the growth of the University, from 500 graduate students when I first was associated, to 2,500 students now. It’s a powerful voice within the country, and you should be proud of it and take advantage of your graduation,” said Dr. Pitts.

After extending his gratitude to Dr. Pitts for his dedicated years of service to AUA, Akian outlined his “clear and steadfast” vision for the next chapter in the University’s history: preserving and championing the institution’s defining values and mission, in addition to realizing the goals outlined in AUA’s long-term Strategic Plan. “It is our responsibility to steer this Plan forward, ensuring that this University continues to serve our bright young men and women, as a beacon of learning and opportunity, impacting Armenia, here in our homeland. Thank you for entrusting me in this role and for joining me in our shared commitment to the future of this great institution.”

Dr. Pitts then took the podium to deliver greetings from President of the University of California Dr. Michael V. Drake: “The regents, officers, and faculty of the University of California send cordial greetings to the American University of Armenia on the occasion of its ninth undergraduate commencement ceremony and its 33rd graduate commencement ceremony. The University of California community of learning extends warmest congratulations to the graduates and to their families on this joyous occasion and all good wishes for success in the years to come.”

This year’s commencement keynote speakers were Rev Lebaredian, vice president of Omniverse and Simulation Technology at NVIDIA, and Vahe Kuzoyn, co-founder and president of ServiceTitan.

In his commencement address, Lebaredian drew upon his storied career in the technological sector to impart advice on how to confront the proliferation of artificial intelligence in their careers. He urged students to preserve the human element in their work and embrace their love of learning in order to harness budding technologies to their — and Armenia’s — advantage: “We are a startup country, and you are all the shareholders of this country. From my vantage point, you are a great bet. I am betting on you. Your family is betting on you. AUA is betting on you. We are all betting on you.”

In his turn, Kuzoyan shared a few vignettes from his life as the child of Armenian immigrants, recounting his own tumultuous journey from learning to code as a teen to co-founding his own business. Drawing on the instances of failure he experienced when starting ServiceTitan, Kuzoyan shared three pieces of advice to the graduates: to embrace risk, to find something worth obsessing over, and to embrace resilience through their identity. “My story is our story. As you think about how you’re going to write the rest of your story, know that you, too, are surrounded by people who want to see you succeed and who believe in you. Along the way, when life presents you a choice between playing it safe or taking a bet on yourself, I hope you overestimate yourself and find something worth suffering for.”

Keynote speeches were followed by valedictory addresses, in Armenian and English, delivered by undergraduates Anahit Arakelyan (BSN ’25) and Aleksandr Shahramanyan (BSDS ’25), and graduates Nune Poghosyan (LL.M. ’25) and Hermine Harutyunyan (MPA ’25), respectively.

The ceremony featured the presentation of several awards. The 2025 AUA Presidential Commendation award, which is inscribed on special paper made from flowers laid at the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial, recognizes and honors an individual who has made extraordinary contributions to education, research, and outreach that have particularly impacted Armenia. This year, the award was bestowed on Dr. Haroutune K. Armenian, AUA president emeritus and professor in the Turpanjian College of Health Sciences. Dr. Armenian served as University president from 1997-2009 and is currently a Professor in Residence of epidemiology at the University of California, Los Angeles Fielding School of Public Health and professor emeritus at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. As Dr. Armenian was unable to travel to Armenia this year, his granddaughter, Sareen Armenian, accepted the award on his behalf.

The Vartkess M. Balian Merit Award that recognizes the best overall performance of a student went to Nahapet Sukiasyan (LL.M. ’25), from the Master of Laws program. Teaching Excellence Awards were presented to Dr. Ashot Abrahamyan, assistant professor in the Zaven P. and Sonia Akian College of Science and Engineering (CSE), and Dr. Nour Alayan, associate professor in the Turpanjian College of Health Sciences and chair of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. The Faculty Research Accomplishment Awards went to Dr. Knar Khachatryan, associate professor in the Manoogian Simone College of Business and Economics and academic director of the Office of Sponsored Programs and Technology Transfer, and Dr. Varduhi Yeghiazaryan, CSE associate professor.

Carrying on the AUA tradition, the commencement ceremony culminated with the conferrals of certificates and degrees to the undergraduate and graduate classes of 2025 by the respective program chairs and college deans. This year, the University graduated the first cohorts of the Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Arts in International Relations and Diplomacy, and Master of Arts in Public Affairs programs.

The commencement ceremony came to a close with the Class of 2025 graduates throwing their caps in the air, marking the end of one chapter in their lives and the beginning of a new one.