Ara Mkrtchyan

Ara Mkrtchyan learned about AUA during his school years when he took part in a robotics competition. After visiting the AUA Open House, he realized that the environment, people, and extracurricular activities were an exact fit for the university life he always envisioned. 

After studying a semester at AUA, Ara began his mandatory military service.  Fighting in the 2020 Artsakh War, he was injured and subsequently returned to Yerevan. 

After his recovery, Ara took some time off from summer courses to focus on his health. He also worked on organizing concerts, considering music is one of his greatest passions, in addition to his major—computer science. “I have been curious about computers since I was a child. My father is a radio engineer and my brother is a programmer; he was the one who introduced me to programming. I am also interested in music, so I believe AUA is the best environment for me to explore both fields,” he says.

Ara believes that his generation consists of the future change makers of Armenia. Currently, together with his friends, he is working on an idea for a startup company, while also concentrating on his studies to get back on track with academic life.