The AEF always encourages and facilitates scholarship sponsors to meet their sponsored students when visiting Armenia.
Doretta Hovanessian is a 4th generation Armenian from Fresno and one example of the Armenian Educational Foundations’s many scholarship sponsors who have taken the time to connect and build relationships with their students. Having established the Barigian Family Foundation and as the Director of the Foundation, she has donated $15,000 each year to support eight medical and dental scholarships, paying the full tuition each year.
Last week, Hovanessian hosted a dinner with her eight sponsored medical and dental students at Lavash Restaurant in Yerevan.
One of her scholarship recipients, Tina Muradyan said, “The sponsors of the Barigian Family Foundation changed my life. They gave me an opportunity to reach my dreams, they gave me wings and hope, motivation, and strength to believe in myself. I don’t know if I’d be able to continue my education without their support. I hope that one day, with my sponsors as my example, I will be able to help change even one student’s life, helping them achieve their goals. I believe educated youth are the hope of our homeland.”
“Our scholarship recipients are self-motivated, smart and destined to be successful in all facets of their lives. It was such a pleasure meeting them all. We are so proud and honored to have these students in our lives and have no doubt that they are all and will continue to be great assets to our beautiful country of Armenia. To our students working towards graduation, please know that AEF and our Foundation are by your side,” remarked Hovanessian.
For more information on the Armenian Educational Foundation or to sponsor a scholarship, please contact AEF at (818) 242 – 4154 or aef@aefweb.org.
