Another birthday, another fundraiser! This is my second time donating my birthday to a Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR) project, and this one is especially important to me. If you know anything about me, it's that I'm Armenian :) The country's social and economic development is a matter that has consumed my personal and extracurricular affairs.
I worked with FAR in summer 2025 and saw firsthand the impact of its programs and the breadth of its reach. With over 300 projects across healthcare, child protection, economic development, social services, and education, valued at over $380 million, I believe FAR is one of the leading organizations driving Armenia’s development and empowerment, especially when it comes to peer-to-peer fundraising and engaging youth donors.
The Armenian Creative Technologies (ACT) College in Parakar is a next-generation creative technologies institution in Armenia, offering high-quality education in Computer Science, Digital Art, and Engineering & Manufacturing. ACT College equips students with future-ready skills, combining academic excellence with hands-on, project-based learning and strong industry partnerships. The College is operated by the Gyumri Information Technologies Center (GITC) Foundation, a leading Armenian tech-education organization dedicated to innovation, inclusion, and economic empowerment.
This past summer, on my trip to Armenia, I got to meet some of the incredible students and the team of women behind it, including its director, Amalya Yeghoyan. It is truly a remarkable institution and I spoke with students who travel from all over Armenia to attend this cutting-edge school to transform their education. The $2,500 goal would cover the cost of tuition for one year for one student of high financial need and merit.
Having spent a lot of time in Armenia, I have seen the impact of $1 there, exponentially more valuable than a similar amount in North America. For these young students, this is the greatest—and, likely, only—opportunity they have to empower their future studies and careers in Armenia and abroad. From engineers to graphic designer, I see the young Armenian talent that is coming out of ACT College, and I believe it is a cause worth supporting.
Please consider contributing to this cause. Having been raised by strong, hardworking women who have always encouraged me to pursue the highest level of education possible, I want to honor them by encouraging my friends to redirect what they might have spent on a gift toward supporting the ACT Scholars Fund instead. I know many of you are college students and young adults like me — this donation can be the cost of a coffee or an Uber, the amount matters not. Thank you for helping empower Armenian students to build successful futures!