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PRESS RELEASE
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA
Diana Manukyan, AUA PR Coordinator
40 Baghramyan Ave.
Yerevan 0019, Republic of Armenia
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.aua.am/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#%21/pages/American-University-of-Armenia/159219260801636
*Words of Wisdom: AUA Holds Inspirational Talk with Mihran S. Agbabian and
Vartan Gregorian*
YEREVAN, Armenia - On October 14, 2014, the American University of Armenia
(AUA) hosted a talk, titled `Conversation with Two Great Men of Education:
Mihran S. Agbabian and Vartan Gregorian.' The event was moderated by AUA
President Dr. Armen Der Kiureghian, who asked them questions about their
lives, careers, and the future of AUA.
Mihran Agbabian was born in Cyprus. He is President Emeritus of AUA and
Professor Emeritus of Engineering at the University of Southern California
(USC). He headed his own consulting engineering firm, Agbabian Associates,
for 20 years before joining USC as Chairman of the Civil and Environmental
Engineering Department. He received his M.S. in Engineering from the
California Institute of Technology in 1948 and his Ph.D. in Engineering
from the University of California, Berkeley in 1951.
Vartan Gregorian is the twelfth president of the Carnegie Corporation of
New York. Prior to that, he served as president of Brown University from
1989-1997, president of The New York Public Library from 1981-1989, and
Tarzian Professor of History, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and
Provost of the University of Pennsylvania from 1972-1981. He received his
Ph.D. in History and Humanities from Stanford University in 1964 and is the
author of three books: *The Road to Home: My Life and Times, Islam: A
Mosaic, Not a Monolith, *and *The Emergence of Modern Afghanistan,
1880-1946*. He was born in Iran.
The packed audience at AUA's Manoogian Hall listened on as Mr. Agbabian and
Mr. Gregorian told stories of their successes, their failures and their
experiences as foreigners in the United States. When talking about his
achievements, Mr. Gregorian stated, `Throughout my life, I've always done
the unexpected.' The audience, in particular, was very inspired when he
stated, `I have never applied to a job, never been fired from a job, and
never signed a contract for a job. My work is my contract.' Aregnaz
Harutyunyan, a student in AUA's English & Communications program, remarked,
`It was very motivational.'
Mr. Agbabian, one of the founding members of AUA, cited the American
University of Beirut (AUB) as an inspiration to him when he was originally
planning on establishing a university in Armenia. When speaking about ideas
for the future of AUA, he stated `One option is to become an international
university like AUB. The other option is to strengthen the program and
prepare the students for leadership. If that is achieved, then I think
we've done our job.' Overall, Mr. Agbabian's impressions of AUA - which
started as just an idea and has now turned into a highly-praised
institution - are positive. `What I see, I love. It's wonderful,' he said.
Mr. Gregorian offered his advice as well when he stated, `Armenia owes a
lot of gratitude to the Armenian diaspora, especially the Americans. But
Armenia cannot just receive. There are many millionaires and billionaires
in this country. Wealth that has been created in this country should be
reinvested in this country. The youth is our future, and what we need to do
is make young Armenians independent.'
The evening concluded with a standing ovation from the crowd.
*The American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent
university located in **Yerevan* *, *
*Armenia* *. Founded in 1991, AUA is
affiliated with the University of California. Through teaching, research,
and public service, AUA serves Armenia and the region by supplying
high-quality, graduate and undergraduate education, encouraging civic
engagement, and promoting democratic values.*
From: A. Papazian
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA
Diana Manukyan, AUA PR Coordinator
40 Baghramyan Ave.
Yerevan 0019, Republic of Armenia
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.aua.am/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#%21/pages/American-University-of-Armenia/159219260801636
*Words of Wisdom: AUA Holds Inspirational Talk with Mihran S. Agbabian and
Vartan Gregorian*
YEREVAN, Armenia - On October 14, 2014, the American University of Armenia
(AUA) hosted a talk, titled `Conversation with Two Great Men of Education:
Mihran S. Agbabian and Vartan Gregorian.' The event was moderated by AUA
President Dr. Armen Der Kiureghian, who asked them questions about their
lives, careers, and the future of AUA.
Mihran Agbabian was born in Cyprus. He is President Emeritus of AUA and
Professor Emeritus of Engineering at the University of Southern California
(USC). He headed his own consulting engineering firm, Agbabian Associates,
for 20 years before joining USC as Chairman of the Civil and Environmental
Engineering Department. He received his M.S. in Engineering from the
California Institute of Technology in 1948 and his Ph.D. in Engineering
from the University of California, Berkeley in 1951.
Vartan Gregorian is the twelfth president of the Carnegie Corporation of
New York. Prior to that, he served as president of Brown University from
1989-1997, president of The New York Public Library from 1981-1989, and
Tarzian Professor of History, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and
Provost of the University of Pennsylvania from 1972-1981. He received his
Ph.D. in History and Humanities from Stanford University in 1964 and is the
author of three books: *The Road to Home: My Life and Times, Islam: A
Mosaic, Not a Monolith, *and *The Emergence of Modern Afghanistan,
1880-1946*. He was born in Iran.
The packed audience at AUA's Manoogian Hall listened on as Mr. Agbabian and
Mr. Gregorian told stories of their successes, their failures and their
experiences as foreigners in the United States. When talking about his
achievements, Mr. Gregorian stated, `Throughout my life, I've always done
the unexpected.' The audience, in particular, was very inspired when he
stated, `I have never applied to a job, never been fired from a job, and
never signed a contract for a job. My work is my contract.' Aregnaz
Harutyunyan, a student in AUA's English & Communications program, remarked,
`It was very motivational.'
Mr. Agbabian, one of the founding members of AUA, cited the American
University of Beirut (AUB) as an inspiration to him when he was originally
planning on establishing a university in Armenia. When speaking about ideas
for the future of AUA, he stated `One option is to become an international
university like AUB. The other option is to strengthen the program and
prepare the students for leadership. If that is achieved, then I think
we've done our job.' Overall, Mr. Agbabian's impressions of AUA - which
started as just an idea and has now turned into a highly-praised
institution - are positive. `What I see, I love. It's wonderful,' he said.
Mr. Gregorian offered his advice as well when he stated, `Armenia owes a
lot of gratitude to the Armenian diaspora, especially the Americans. But
Armenia cannot just receive. There are many millionaires and billionaires
in this country. Wealth that has been created in this country should be
reinvested in this country. The youth is our future, and what we need to do
is make young Armenians independent.'
The evening concluded with a standing ovation from the crowd.
*The American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent
university located in **Yerevan* *, *
*Armenia* *. Founded in 1991, AUA is
affiliated with the University of California. Through teaching, research,
and public service, AUA serves Armenia and the region by supplying
high-quality, graduate and undergraduate education, encouraging civic
engagement, and promoting democratic values.*
From: A. Papazian