June 26, 2018
Arman Vardanyan during his military service
Arman Vardanyan had just completed his first year at American University of Armenia (AUA) when he was drafted in the Armenian Armed Forces. A trained tank shooter, Arman slept in his tank and survived on dried bread and rainwater during the Four-Day-War in Nagorno-Karabakh. With each day of the war he experienced, he felt his dream of graduating AUA slip away. His focus turned from his studies to his survival. He worried that even if he did make it home, he might not have the opportunity to pick up his life where had left it.
Miraculously, Arman survived the war, but many of his friends did not. Despite all that he lost, Arman kept a positive attitude. Long before stepping foot in a tank, Arman dreamt of pursuing his undergraduate education at the AUA. Thankfully, with the generous support of the AGBU Asbeds, Arman became the recipient of the AGBU Asbeds Scholarship and is now on track to graduate with a B.A. in English and Communications in 2020.
Arman excited to be back at AUA
“I am extremely grateful to AGBU Asbeds for opening this door of opportunity for me to receive the best education in my homeland,” shared Arman. “I give them my word: I will work hard, excel academically, and will give back to society, one way or another.”
After graduation, Arman plans to pursue his master’s degree in Political Science and International Affairs. It is his goal to one day become an ambassador so that he may facilitate peace and cooperation between countries, prevent war, and make the world a better place.
Source: AUA Scholarship Booklet