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PRESS RELEASE
Monday, October 12, 2009
A Decade of Excellence: AGBU Young Professionals of Greater New York and
Northern California Model the Way
In 1995, the first Young Professionals (YP) group was established in Los
Angeles, California by then AGBU President Louise Manoogian Simone as a
means to actively engage young Armenians between the ages of 22 to 40 in
the mission of AGBU. This single act set in motion a trend which, nearly
15 years later, boasts a vibrant, growing network of over two dozen YP
groups around the world run entirely by AGBU volunteers.
This year, for the first time ever, the AGBU Central Board of Directors
honored the Young Professionals of Greater New York (YPGNY) and the
Young Professionals of Northern California (YPNC) with special awards on
the occasions of their ten-year anniversaries for extraordinary service
to the Armenian community. Deserving of the highest accolades, YPGNY and
YPNC were two of the first groups established by AGBU in the late 1990’s
and, through a decade of continuous service, have mastered harnessing
the talents of the younger generation for the greater good.
YPGNY – Embracing the Spirit of Service
With an overwhelming response from its contemporaries, YPGNY in ten
years has witnessed a five-time increase in its constituency base.
Members close to the group attribute this achievement to its open-door
policy for all young Armenians, as well as conscientious efforts to
cultivate community relations. In 2008 alone, YPGNY’s diverse
programming drew in 1500 YPs and, defying the economic climate in 2009,
its trademark Armenian Christmas Reception hit record-breaking
attendance figures, raising a remarkable $15,000.
Even more impressive, fundraising powerhouse YPGNY has donated $93,000
in total–the most raised by any one AGBU YP group–to AGBU-affiliated
programs since its inception. Striving to make a long-term impact, YPGNY
also established the AGBU YP Endowment Fund in 2002 to benefit the AGBU
Children’s Centers of Armenia, which has since become a pan-YP endeavor
and totals a substantial $79,800.
Ensuring the group is realizing its fullest potential, YPGNY has worked
conscientiously over the years to improve the quality and range of its
civic activities. For example, YPGNY, which has annually sponsored
student scholarships for the AGBU New York Summer Intern Program (NYSIP)
since 1999, teamed up with the program in 2000 to organize Mentoring
Night, an evening of professional exchange between local young
professionals and visiting interns. In 2007, the initiative was expanded
even further into a one-on-one mentorship program, in which YPGNY
members provide professional guidance and advice through special
gatherings and offline support throughout the 8-week length of the
interns’ stays. Extending its community activities to the interns in
2003, YPGNY introduced NYSIP to Sunshine for Seniors, a day of service
with the residents of the New York Armenian Home in Flushing, Queens.
"With an organization as venerable as AGBU, we embrace the role and
responsibility that comes with representing the young face of AGBU to
the world," shared Natalie Gabrelian, Associate Director of the AGBU
Education Department, and former Chairwoman of YPGNY for seven of its
ten years.
To this end, AGBU Central Office, with full confidence in YPGNY’s
capabilities, invited key members over the years to help organize
milestone events, such as its Centennial Celebration in 2007, represent
the organization annually at the Armenian Genocide Commemoration in
Times Square and sit on the organizing body of FOCUS, the premiere AGBU
event for young Armenian professionals from around the world.
Aline Markarian, current YPGNY Co-Chair with colleague Danny Abajian,
shared her thoughts on the future of the organization, "As we move ahead
training new board members on the inner workings of the group, it is our
goal to ensure our generation carries on the legacy and high standards
set by the members before us, while building upon their accomplishments
by experimenting in untapped areas such as the environment and the
arts."
YP Northern California – Building Relationships That Enrich Lives
A key ingredient to success imparted by the groups in New York and the
Bay Area has been their close, supportive relationships with senior
leadership in their local AGBU Chapters and Offices. Nowhere is this
most relevant than in San Francisco when then AGBU Oakland Chairwoman
Ashken Mouradian spearheaded the establishment, growth and
sustainability of the AGBU Young Professionals of Northern California.
Inspired by the encouraging results of the group established in Los
Angeles, Mouradian, who set youth involvement as a Chapter priority in
the mid- to late-’90s, recounts, "The San Francisco Bay Area didn’t have
anything like this at the time and, by being the first to establish the
young professionals group, our shining moment was bringing all Armenian
young people under one roof."
In its 10th year running, YPNC represents the only YP group to
singularly mount a weekend getaway, coined the Winter Gala, which
attracts hundreds of YPs on an international scale to the Bay Area. One
of the group’s proudest achievements, the signature Winter Gala evolved
from a one-day benefit dance in its early years to an extended weekend
with proceeds earmarked for AGBU-affiliated programs in Armenia. To this
end, benevolent YPNC, with its yearlong roster of quality events and
activities, has donated $48,000 in total, representing a sizeable
quarter of the funds raised by the network.
Running a volunteer organization in sprawling San Francisco has its
challenges, yet YPNC has an unblemished reputation as a stable
organization which is fiscally responsible, boasts strong leadership and
cultivates strong working relations with fellow Armenian and
non-Armenian organizations.
Noted by current and retired board members, key reasons for their
10-year success include their ability to set a clear mission and vision
for the organization, take risks with new, unique events, and most
importantly, foster an environment of teamwork, friendship and
camaraderie.
"YPNC has filled the needs of the 22- to 40-year-old crowd, targeting
events towards their interests which may not be addressed by other
Armenian groups within our community," shared Ed Minasian, longtime YPNC
Board Member and former Chairman for four years. "Our service reached
beyond the needs of our constituents to also support the Bay Area
Armenian and non-Armenian communities, like Mt. Davidson Cross, the
annual Genocide Commemoration, and by volunteering at local soup
kitchens and Habitat for Humanity."
In agreement on the stellar reputation inherited from the group, new
Co-Chairs Steven Cherezian and David Ojakian project on the group’s
future plans, "This year we aim to refocus the group and truly embody
the core values and mission of AGBU, while emphasizing the Young
Professional aspect that makes our AGBU committee so special. We look to
introduce new professional networking opportunities and community
service events this year, while continuing to raise funds and awareness
for the AGBU charitable programs in Armenia."
Looking Ahead
With the unmistakable support of their local communities, the results of
YPGNY and YPNC are born from a commitment and charitable spirit that are
unsurpassed. In addition, their keen ability to keep up with the times
and the needs of their constituencies will continue to propel them
forward as leading organizations amongst their peers.
As the proverbial torch is passed on to a new generation of YPs to run
the organizations, AGBU is pleased to see that they are bringing fresh
ideas and energy, while still perpetuating the legacy of service and
commitment reaped by YPGNY and YPNC to preserve and promote the Armenian
identity and heritage.
AGBU YPGNY and YPNC are a part of a growing network of YP groups and
supporters around the world who are committed to preserving and
promoting the Armenian identity and heritage through educational,
cultural and humanitarian programs for young Armenians between the ages
of 22 to 40. For more information on the AGBU YP Network, please visit
For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, please visit
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress