Huys Foundation 2023 Annual Report

2023 ANNUAL REPORT

What does it take for an acorn to grow into a mighty oak?

Sunlight. Moisture. Nurturing. Time. But also, importantly – space.

Space in order to draw down deep roots – and to reach out with big sprawling branches.

This magnificent sight will become apparent in 20 years time. But to achieve it requires giving the acorn what it needs and, importantly, in planting it in the right environment and giving it space to grow.

The mind, much like an acorn, acts in the same way.

Only decades from now will we witness the full potential of the minds that we know hold promise.

And in order to achieve that promise, we must give the minds what they need, give it over time, and, importantly, place them in the right environments – to broaden their horizons while keeping them rooted.

What does that right environment look like?

Centers of excellence are one part of the equation – those bastions of intelligence and best practice that broaden the horizons of the mind and give it the mandate to reach out and around with big, sprawling ideas.

Having a home base is the other part. A place to anchor yourself in, to orient yourself with – the soil in which you can lay down your deep, firm foundation.

And that home base is Armenia.

This is what we believe in and dedicate ourselves to at Huys, formulated in a simple advice we pass on to our scholars: View the world as your field of activity, and Armenia as your home base.

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MISSION, VISION & IMPLEMENTATION Mission

Vision

Implementation

Supporting Armenian youth to achieve educational excellence, with an academic and professional commitment to Armenia, the Armenian nation, and Humanity.

An interconnected, global cadre of professionals and intellectuals, empowered through excellent education, bound by purpose, and driven to serve Armenia, the Armenian nation, and Humanity.

Huys Foundation focuses its work exclusively on educational excellence, achieving this through the scholarship program and building global networks of academic and professional potential.

Scholarship Program Since founding, Huys Foundation has supported 33 scholars studying at 20 universities in five countries. Huys Scholars are selected through a competitive selection process by an independent Scholarship Committee. To be eligible, the applicant shall be: An individual within the ages of 18 to 40, both inclusive, of Armenian descent (regardless of location of permanent residence or citizenship); an Armenian citizen (regardless of ethnic origin or location or permanent residence); an Armenian resident (regardless of ethnic origin or citizenship) or a person who has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to preserve and advance Armenian heritage and culture, Admitted full-time to an academic degree program which is considered a globally-ranked top degree program in that specific academic field, regardless of the ranking of the educational institution which offers the academic degree program, Able to show and substantiate how the learning, experience, and networks gained through the applicant’s academic degree program can be used to address an immediate need, skills shortage, or target area for Armenia, for the Armenian nation, or for humanity.

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Accountability All directors of Huys Foundation should be accountable for their actions. They should take full responsibility for them and should always be able to justify them to the public and the authorities.

Independence Independence and impartiality are the cornerstones of Huys Foundation’s activities.

Huys Foundation is not affiliated with or controlled by any political party, association, or governmental agency.

Transparency Huys Foundation works in a transparent manner and will provide timely, comprehensive, and accurate information to all stakeholders including donors, the authorities, the media, and the public.

Ethics Huys Foundation is fully committed to the practice of honesty, integrity, truthfulness, and adherence to safeguarding the public trust in all its transactions.

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HIGHLIGHTS

For the 2023-2024 academic year, Huys Foundation received a total of 146 scholarship applications.

As it does not limit applicants to a particular ranking system, Huys Foundation welcomed applications from a variety of educational institutions and academic programs, inviting applicants to substantiate how their learning and experience is to bring about real impact.

Gender of Applicants

Female 49.3%

Male 50.7%

The selection of the Huys Scholarship recipients was conducted by an independent Scholarship Committee comprised of twenty-one young professionals.

Country of Residence of Applicants

Degree Program Applied For

100

PhD 8.9%

80

60

40

Master's 37.7%

Bachelor's 53.4%

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Countries Where Scholars Study

As a result of a meticulous review process, ten Huys Scholars were awarded a total of $26,000 in Huys Scholarships for the 2023-2024 academic year.

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Huys Foundation remains committed to dedicating virtually all funds raised to the cause of education, through Huys Scholarships or contributions to an endowment fund for long-term sustainability.

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2023 Financial Overview

Cities Scholars Are From 3.0

1.5%

Operating Expenses

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Huys Scholarships Donations Accrual for 2023

62.3%

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36.2%

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Meet the Huys scholars and alumni.

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Narek Harutyunyan Brown University Sc.B. in Computer Engineering Huys Scholar 2023

“The profound impact of advanced drone technology and intelligent robotics on various sectors, including the Armenian industry, education, and healthcare, cannot be overstated. These advancements play a pivotal role in safeguarding my nation’s security by bolstering defenses against external threats, as demonstrated by the essential roles UAVs played during recent wars. Furthermore, the utilization of multi-drone systems holds tremendous potential, particularly in emergencies, enabling efficient drug delivery and enhancing accessibility to remote locations. The presence of more drones and flying objects also has the power to ignite the interest of upcoming generations, providing them with early career opportunities in the robotics field, a dream I cherished since childhood.

I am confident that the knowledge I will acquire through my work in the ACT Lab and my studies at Brown University will empower me to contribute to initiatives in Armenia.

One specific area of potential benefit is the implementation of multi-drone mechanisms, which could revolutionize agriculture and healthcare by enabling efficient access to remote locations and performing tasks with greater efficiency. Additionally, I am dedicated to fostering collaboration with local universities and industries to enhance UAV technologies in Armenia. This collaborative effort not only has the potential to boost the local economy but also to improve technical education in the country.”

Read Narek’s commitment letter in full: https://huysfoundation.org/scholars/narek-harutyunyan/

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Shushan Grigoryan University College London MA in Social Justice and Education Huys Scholar 2023 (John Aroutiounian Scholarship for Service to Humanity)

“My graduate degree will help me bridge the gap between existing research and education policy. UCL’s program offers many modules on social justice theories and also gives the tools to turn the theory into practice. Together with the theoretical modules, I plan to take the modules on policymaking to get a complete idea of how policies are formulated, enacted, and affected by global change. With the knowledge gained from the modules, I will be able to develop a socially conscious new approach to create change in Armenia.

As a graduate student, I aspire to join UCL’s Centre for Sociology of Education and Equity (CSEE). The faculty has consistently held the #1 ranking in the field of Education for a decade, and it is no surprise that the research centers house some of the most prominent scholars in education policy-making. At TFA and ASOF, I explored the center’s research on educational inequalities and identities and applied their findings within the local context to support my educational initiatives. In line with my research interests, my graduate dissertation will focus on qualitative discourse analysis of the educational laws and policies in Armenia, specifically discussing the legislation and regulations for two inschool practices: the provision of paid school meals and paid supplementary education.”

Read Shushan’s commitment letter in full: https://huysfoundation.org/scholars/shushan-grigoryan/ Established in 2019, the John Aroutiounian Scholarship for Service to Humanity is awarded to a deserving scholar with a demonstrated commitment to ethical leadership and service to others. To learn more about John's legacy, visit: https://huysfoundation.org/in-memory-of-john-aroutiounian/ 10

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Hayk Kocharyan Harvard University Master’s in Learning Design, Innovation and Technology Huys Scholar 2023

“In today’s world, generative AI presents challenges to the traditional delivery of education. It is not a distant future; it is already here. As an Armenian, I believe it is essential for us to leverage this technology to create our own educational system and develop an educational technology startup that brings personalized learning experiences through AI. I am driven by the belief that nothing is impossible, and we should strive to challenge the quality of education, much like the renowned Finnish educational system.

If I were to talk more precisely about another problem I faced personally it is the lack of access to quality education in remote regions of Armenia. When I initiated the “Soldier as a Teacher” program while in mandatory military service, in Meghri, together with my team we provided free computer literacy and programming classes to nearly 60 students living in the border town. I realized the importance of not just being a teacher but also a mentor to these students, helping them plan their future career goals without being isolated from the digital world.

After the pilot program “Soldier as a Teacher” successfully concluded, allowing for its continuation with qualified soldiers, I became determined to establish a network of mentorship for children from Syunik and other remote areas. I aimed to leverage my existing network from the program to create opportunities for mentorship.”

Read Hayk’s commitment letter in full: https://huysfoundation.org/scholars/hayk-kocharyan/

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Tigran Aghbalyan University of California, Berkeley B.A. in Political Science (with double major in Performance Arts) Huys Scholar 2023

“Delving into international research and analysis, I discovered that limited civic engagement is a pressing global issue. However, as someone born and raised in the Tavush region, I strongly believe that our Armenian heritage instills a profound sense of responsibility to be a pillar of strength for our local and global community. With this conviction, I have chosen to contribute to advancing informed social justice advocacy, social literacy, and the cultivation of community problem-solving potential in response to emerging needs. ...

The internal social issues in Armenia are significantly influenced by external policies and the state of the economy. Therefore, focusing solely on internal awareness campaigns will have a limited long-term impact. It is crucial to engage in a thoughtful analysis of international relationships and negotiations. While many post-Soviet countries tend to rely on intuitive and reactive politics, Armenia should strive to develop proactive policies.

By studying the game theory approach, I can contribute to this transformative process and make a meaningful impact.”

Read Tigran’s commitment letter in full: https://huysfoundation.org/scholars/tigran-aghbalyan/

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Lusine Torosyan Harvard University Master in Public Administration in International Develpoment Huys Scholar 2023

“Armenia is a country without natural resources and in a challenging geopolitical situation, and what we have heard since childhood is the necessity to invest in ourselves, develop our human capital and benefit our country in the future. I believe my investment will be to advance my knowledge in research-based policy design and implement it in my country. ...

I plan to apply the knowledge I will acquire through my studies to enhance development and access to financial resources, thus, promoting the growth prospects of firms and mitigating inequality issues. Moreover, I want to work on policies supporting technological innovations and developing a competitive economy. ...

My main goal is to return to my country upon graduation and employ the knowledge and skills I would get at the Harvard Kennedy School. My whole experience is about working in the public sector, and the years there allowed me to already put the basis of my aspirations. I am hopeful to be able to make my ambitions a reality and contribute to making my country a role model for other developing countries trying to pursue similar paths.”

Read Lusine’s commitment letter in full: https://huysfoundation.org/scholars/lusine-torosyan/ Lusine Torosyan’s Huys Scholarship for 2023 is supported by the Khachatryan family.

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Titan Asatryan King’s College London Master of Public Health (MPH) Huys Scholar 2023

“In terms of health security within the framework of the Civil-Military and International Collaboration, it is an urgent necessity for Armenia to effectively mobilize, exploit, and intertwine international, civilian, and military health-related security sector capacities as well as to upgrade civil-military collaboration in the care of armed forces personnel and veterans. We must closely analyze civil-military relations within health economies. ...

This unique interdisciplinary program, provided by the Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, will allow me to gain practical skills and extensive knowledge in Epidemiology, Prevention & Control of Communicable Diseases, Social Research Methods, and Economics to observe the impact of warfare on civilian/military populations from different angles. My more-than-four-year military medical leadership experience, combined with my university knowledge, will help me critically examine public health issues specific to active war zones and design and execute appropriate research in these areas. ...

Additionally, I will build strong links between King’s College London and Armenia to develop the country’s educational, scientific, and military medical research capacities. I will hopefully lead health policy reforms and transform public health education in Armenia to teach and mentor more people so that together we will face public health challenges and improve the well-being of civilians and servicemen.”

Read Titan’s commitment letter in full: https://huysfoundation.org/scholars/titan-asatryan/ 14

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Julia Hintlian Harvard University PhD in the Study of Religion Huys Scholar 2022, 2023 (Armenian Studies Scholarship)

“Since September of 2022, I have translated nearly 600 pages of Classical Armenian with Dr. Roberta Ervine, a member of my dissertation committee at Harvard and Professor of Armenian Christian Studies at the St. Nersess Armenian Seminary. Specifically, we have been translating the corpus of writings produced by the early 8th-century Armenian theologian Stepʿanos Imastasēr Siwnetsʻi.1 A few of Stepʿanos’ writings have been translated by other scholars (mainly into English), but most of his texts remain accessible only in Classical Armenian. While we have translated these works primarily in service to my doctoral dissertation, our translations and commentary for two of Stepʿanos’ texts have also been separately accepted for publication in the upcoming year—one text in an academic journal, and the other text in a research volume. ...

I am seeking to act as a “cultural translator” between the Armenian Church and contemporary, secular, and/or diasporan Armenians. I am requesting another year of support from Huys so that as I work toward completing my doctoral dissertation, I can continue to excavate unexplored, ancient Armenian wisdom and I can help to interpret its significance for the Armenian community and the modern world beyond.”

Read Julia’s commitment letter in full: https://huysfoundation.org/scholars/julia-hintlian/ Established in 2019, the Armenian Studies Scholarship is awarded to a deserving scholar focusing on the interrelation of global civilization and Armenian heritage and the contributions of the Armenian nation to humanity.

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Mher Tarakjian Harvard University Master in Design Studies Huys Scholar 2023

“I am a proud editorial member of the collective Armenian Creatives. In 2018, together with a few artist friends, we founded the Armenian Creatives group with the purpose of exchanging developments in artistic ideas and experiences. Through this collective, we host free-form get-togethers to provide a setting to discuss projects that may or may not have to do with being Armenian, cultivating a community of integral support, and infectious creativity. ...

Finally, in my professional career as an architect with multi-trajectory interests, and throughout my 10-year career in Architecture in New York, I saw how the frenzy of economic activities, geopolitical power struggles, and alienation of nature or land expedited the climate change crisis. This research topic is what brought me to the Harvard Graduate School of Design. I am looking for ways to create a more peaceful coexistence, where human societies perform economic and social activities in ways that are more choreographed and attuned to non-human or natural cycles. Throughout the first year of my program, I took courses to help me learn to do exactly that. I believe these topics and approaches taught by very special faculty will serve my research on societal injustices, political ecologies, and how we can construct, not only in architecture but in our everyday lives, new systems that attune now disconnected two equilibria; societal and natural.”

Read Mher’s commitment letter in full: https://huysfoundation.org/scholars/mher-tarakjian/

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Lusine Adunts American University of Armenia Bachelor of Engineering Sciences Huys Scholar 2023 (Engineering in Armenia Scholarship)

“There is a huge regional disparity in Armenia and this can be influential on youngster’s lives. This disparity is visible in many aspects. However, the most concerning issue for me is youngsters’ educational disparity with the focus on the small number of opportunities and thus, a limited view of what they can do. I have lived most of my life in Goris, which is a city 240km away from Yerevan. Looking back now, I can see that youngsters there do not have the opportunities that youngsters in Yerevan have. As a result, either most people living in the regions continue doing common country jobs or relocate to other cities or even countries.

Also, the scientific underdevelopment of Armenia is of much concern to me. This problem has many aspects but one of them is the poor connection between the sciences and the general public. I believe it is essential to stay informed of scientific discoveries even if one is not connected to academia as this way one becomes much more rational, develops critical thinking and values the importance of outcomes of scientific progress that can be tangible only in the long run.”

Read Lusine’s commitment letter in full: https://huysfoundation.org/scholars/lusine-adunts/ Established in 2021, the Engineering in Armenia Scholarship is awarded to a deserving scholar studying in an academic program in Engineering and related fields at educational institutions in Armenia, with demonstrated accomplishments in their area of interest.

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Aida Martirosyan American University of Armenia Bachelor of Science in Data Science Huys Scholar 2022, 2023 (Engineering in Armenia Scholarship)

“One of my current goals is to develop NLP for the Armenian language. It is essential to understand the logic of existing libraries that work for English to be able to modify them and adapt them to our language. Of course, it is not an easy task, as Armenian is a beautiful, however difficult language in the sense of grammar and tenses, but I am sure that completing this task can be very beneficial for Armenia; to all companies that deal with text data and want to automate the process of understanding it for faster, better results. ...

Here comes my next goal: to develop a GIS tool that can automate the process of monitoring wheat fields by improving Armenia’s agriculture. It is not a secret that agriculture is the primary source of the Armenian economy, which is why I think crucial attention should be given to the development of that branch. GIS can help peasants monitor their vast fields and estimate their harvest, providing better agricultural results.

Additionally, to improve the GIS results, it will be interesting to use some Machine Learning, Deep Learning algorithms while analyzing data with GIS.” Read Aida’s commitment letter in full: https://huysfoundation.org/scholars/aida-martirosyan/ Established in 2021, the Engineering in Armenia Scholarship is awarded to a deserving scholar studying in an academic program in Engineering and related fields at educational institutions in Armenia, with demonstrated accomplishments in their area of interest.

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ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS

Stephanie Pambakian held a post-doc fellowship at the University of Tuebingen (Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen) for the academic year 2023 - 2024 in the "Teach at Tuebingen" program, teaching courses she had designed herself: The Byzantine frontier: science and networks of learning in Classical Armenian (both semesters) and a beginners' course for Classical Armenian (summer semester).

Stephanie Pambakian Huys Alum 2020 University of St Andrews, Université de Genève PhD in Medieval History

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She also participated to a successful ERC proposal with Prof.

Stern from UCL (London) for a research project called NEAstr, which shall begin in 2025. The project aims at editing, translating, commenting and comparing scientific literature in different Near Easter traditions, and it will be based at UCL London.

Stephanie has a forthcoming article in the new journal for Armenian Studies "Armeniaca", published since 2022 at the University Press of Ca' Foscari of Venice, and has presented her work upon several occasions this past year, including the University of Tübingen, the University of Oxford, the International Medieval congress in Leeds and the Eran Forum of the Ex-Patria project (University of Lille).

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After graduating from his PhD degree in Physics, Hrachya received a grant to establish a lab in Armenia.

Hrachya Ishkhanyan Huys Alum 2019 King’s College London MPhil/PhD in Physics Research

The project proposes establishing the Computational Molecular Engineering Laboratory (CMEL), aimed at democratizing access to advanced computational resources for molecular modeling. CMEL will provide support to research groups and startups by oBering high-performance simulations and data analytics in computational physics and chemistry, focusing on molecular dynamics (MD), quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM), and density functional theory (DFT). These tools will enable researchers to explore the atomic and molecular complexities of scientific phenomena and drive advancements in fields like drug discovery and personalized medicine.

CMEL will collaborate with the National Supercomputer Center of Armenia, leveraging partnerships with institutions in Germany, Denmark, France, and the UK. This international collaboration will empower the lab to conduct diverse computational simulations, from molecular dynamics to drug design and quantum calculations, contributing to a variety of scientific domains.

Additionally, CMEL aims to integrate machine learning into its methodologies, refining workflows and enhancing collaboration across research communities. A crucial aspect of CMEL’s mission is to foster the next generation of researchers by oBering internships, studentships, and fellowships that support Armenian scientists at all career stages. This educational and research initiative will leave a long-term legacy in scientific innovation and collaboration, transforming the future of computational molecular engineering.

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ALUMNI ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS

Meri works on technology and human rights issues as a Senior Case and Policy Officer at Meta Oversight Board, where she also leads the Board’s strategic priority on hate speech against marginalized groups.

Meri Baghdasaryan Huys Alum 2020 UPenn Carey Law School Master of Laws

In 2023, Meri spoke at the International Association of Privacy Professionals’ Global Privacy Summit in Washington, DC, gave lectures and contributed to several blog posts on content moderation, privacy and human rights issues. In 2024, Meri led a session on censorship and human rights violations in frames of “Trust and Safety in the Majority World” workshop series of the Institute for Rebooting Social Media at Harvard University. She also spoke about human rights online at an inperson event of the Armenian International Law Association in Yerevan, Armenia.

She served as a subject matter expert for EuroDIG (European Dialogue on Internet Governance) 2023 and 2024, where she curated sessions on immersive technologies and their potential impacts, European regulatory responses and the future of platform governance. Meri also served as a cohort leader and community advisory board member for the “Ethics, technology and public policy for practitioners” course at Stanford University. She is a 2024-2025 Tech Policy Fellow at UC Berkeley.

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Kristina Akopian is advancing her international career in public health, bringing her expertise and dedication to impactful projects across diverse regions. She supported the COVID-19 pandemic response as part of the World Health Organization (WHO) county office team in Armenia, contributing to vital on-ground assistance during a critical global health crisis.

Kristina Akopian Huys Alum 2020 University of London MSc in Epidemiology

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For the past three years, she has been working with the WHO Regional office for Europe, focusing on management of complex public health initiatives in Central Asia and Western Balkans.

Her commitment to improving health outcomes continues to drive her work in varied and challenging environments.

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DONORS

Huys Foundation is immensely thankful to its donors for their support in our fifth year of operations.

Albert Tamazyan

Mhair Orchanian

Ani Nersisyan

Mikayel Mirzoyan

Anahit Sargsyan

Nora Serghany

Anna Carolin Haleblian

Robert Khachatryan

Anna Srapionyan

Ruben Hovhannisyan & Lilit Minasyan

Arin Balalian

Ruzanna Sargsyan

Armine Nalbandian

Sarkis & Nune Sepetjian

Artyom Kosyan

Sevag Alexanian

AxiomPrint

Stepan Khzrtian

Gagik Mikayelyan

Tigran Shakhverdian

Gor Hovakimyan

Vahagn Aslanyan

Grisha Khachatryan

Vahe Tshitoyan

Heewon Lee

Vartan Bezhanyan

Jora Stepanian

Vitali Avagyan

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PARTNERS

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We are immensely thankful to Gerard Mekhsian and Kevin Mego Mekhsian, respectively Partner and Director at Hutchinson & Bloodgood LLP, for providing accounting support.

Huys is a member of the Gituzh Initiative, a worldwide community advocating for increasing support of the sciences in Armenia.

We are immensely thankful to Krisp for providing complimentary licenses of its noise-cancellation software to Huys Scholars and the Huys Team.

Huys is a supporter of Zark, a non-profittech-enabled platform that allows Diaspora Armenians to crowdfund for social purpose organizations in Armenia.

We are immensly thankful to AxiomPrint for complimentary printing and graphic design services.

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BOARD AND TEAM

Board

Stepan Khzrtian

Team

Grisha Khachatryan

President

Anna Srapionyan Board Member

Vitali Avagyan

Anahit Sargsyan

Vartan Bezhanyan

Board Member, Acting Secretary

Board Member, Director of Outreach

Board Member

Board Member, CFO

Hayk Mikayelyan Director of Technologies

Advisory Board

Emmanuel Tchividjian

Amalya Kostanyan

Ethics Advisor

Science Advisor

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Ani Kharajian

Nadine Koobatian

Sevag Kazandjian

Finance Advisor Fundraising Advisor Finance Advisor

Jacqueline Karaaslainian Education Advisor

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Throughout our history, Armenians have persevered and prospered by virtue of their knowledge and wisdom. For this reason, the Huys Foundation espouses educational excellence as the path forward, striving to serve and guide the Armenian nation through Education, to Eternity.

Have your impact for the future. Donate online at huysfoundation.org or by check to: Huys Foundation 8605 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 11005 West Hollywood, CA 90069 United States

Huys Foundation is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations to Huys Foundation are 100% secure and tax-deductible for U.S. tax purposes as provided by law.

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THANK YOU