PRESS RELEASE
Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR)
Press Office
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 889-5150; Fax: (212) 889-4849
email: press@farusa.org
web:
Mathevosian Scholars Continue To Succeed
DIASPORAN BENEFACTOR WORKS WITH FAR TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES IN
ARMENIA
Last school year, 55 young Armenians had a chance to chase their
dreams thanks to one Armenian-American woman. In 1997, through the
Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR), Anoosh Mathevosian created a highly
successful scholarship program to provide access to higher education
for some of Armenia’s most at-risk young people.
"Anoosh Mathevosian is a role model for many people," said Archbishop
Khajag Barsamian, President of FAR and Primate of the Diocese of the
Armenian Church of America (Eastern).
"Not only has she shown those of us here in America the power of one
woman with a passion for her homeland; but she has touched the lives
of countless Armenian families who have gone on to give back to their
communities as Anoosh has done." During the 2007-08 school year, 55
Mathevosian scholars studied at four universities in Armenia — 33
students were at Yerevan State University (YSU), 16 at State
University of Economics, 4 at the State Engineering University, and
two at Yerevan State Medical University. Only 22 of the 55
participants came from Yerevan, the rest represented most of the
rural provinces of Armenia.
The students — a mixture of first-year students, undergraduate, and
graduate students — study a wide range of topics, from economics and
law, to journalism and computer science to math and medicine.
For the 2008-09 school year, FAR selected 12 new first-year students
to join the Mathevosian Scholars program following a lengthy and
intensive selection process.
Most are orphans or from extremely poor families from rural
Armenian. For most, the education is just part of being a Mathevosian
Scholar. For the honor is also about realizing someone out there is
holding out a helping hand.
"Your help is much more than financial support. You inspired us with
hope and helped to view our future with greater optimism," said
Mathevosian Scholar Harutyun Harutyunyan, who grew up in Yeghegnadzor
and now studies at YSU with the help of the FAR program.
At the time he started school, Harutyun was unsure how he would cover
tuition since his father was bedridden and his mother was unemployed.
"We almost lost our hope before I heard of Mathevosian Scholarship
Program. Ms.
Anoosh was the first person in my life to teach me the truth that
money is not always the priority in life, and that a man can be valued
for his knowledge," said Harutyun, who graduated and started working
at HSBC Armenia Bank. "My future is safe. For all this, I owe you a
debt of gratitude to Ms. Anoush. Now, I swear to be beneficial to my
homeland and nation and do my best to justify her hopes and trust in
me.
I will follow her example and perform benevolence to the benefit of
people needing such support, as I did."
This is the 11th year for the Mathevosian Scholars program. Through
the joint effort of FAR and the programs benefactor, a total of 124
students have benefited from the program. They’ve gone on to build
solid, independent, productive lives, not only supporting their
families, but contributing to the continued development of the
Armenian nation. The graduates of the program have become volunteers,
community activists, and philanthropists, in the model of those who
offered support to them when they needed a helping hand.
"Being chosen for the Mathevosian program was an indescribable event
for me and became a turning point in my life. For all this, I am
grateful to Ms. Mathevosian," said Haykaram Avetisyan, a third-year
student at the Armenian State University of Economics. "I always
thank God for giving me an opportunity to know a person like her, with
such a big heart and kindly soul. Every time, when I light a candle in
the church I pray to God asking to give her health, long life, and
eternal life to her kind initiative."
The program is more than a check, it also includes an extended support
system for the students. In 2008, 22 Mathevosian Scholars graduated
from the program, and FAR organized a day-long session for the
graduates to highlight current labor market trends in Armenia, discuss
how to apply for a job, and go over issues like creating a
resume. Over 60 per cent of the Mathevosian Scholars start working
right after graduation.
"We are hopeful for the future because of these young students,"
Archbishop Barsamian said. "The students of Armenia recognize the
value of education, indeed each year FAR receives hundreds of
applicants for a few dozen openings in the Mathevosian Scholars
program. And every year when I meet with the students being helped by
FAR, I am amazed at their abilities, seriousness, and sense of
purpose. You can see the changing future of Armenia in these young
people."
# # #
About FAR
Since its founding in response to the 1988 earthquake, FAR has served
hundreds of thousands of people through more than 220 relief and
development programs in Armenia and Karabagh. It has channeled more
than $265 million in humanitarian assistance by implementing a wide
range of projects including emergency relief, construction, education,
medical aid, and economic development.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For more information on FAR or to send donations, contact us at 630
Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016; telephone (212) 889-5150; fax (212)
889-4849; ; e-mail press@farusa.org.