The first lesson Tigran Manukyan (BAB ‘21) learned when he joined the army was how to handle automatic weapons when taking long distance shots. This would prove to be important when he was among the soldiers who kept the borders of Talish safe, in the Martakert region, from April 2 through June 11, 2016.
“I had only been in the army for two months when the war started,” said Tigran. “Psychologically it was a very difficult time for everybody because of the stress, fear and uncertainty of the outcome.”
Under the leadership of their commander, Tigran and his fellow soldiers were able to advance their positions and reclaim territories, though he notes it was “extremely difficult to watch the Azerbaijan troops use heavy artillery against the village of Talish.”
Tigran was able to recover at AUA when he returned to carry on with his education, crediting the Student Success Center, which helped him recover his writing skills and improve his English. He chose to pursue business, a field he has been interested in since childhood, and plans to become an accountant.
“Receiving a scholarship has been a tremendous support for my family,” said Tigran. “I am very much inspired by the generous donations of AUA’s sponsors and I will do all my best to give back to my community in the same way.”