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The teenage years are rocky for most people, male or female, with self-esteem decreasing for both sexes after elementary school. However, the drop is more dramatic for girls, and in a male-dominated society, a lack of strong female role models and opportunities for women can exacerbate the problem.

Mr. Geghamyan is the Head of the Department for Relations with the European Court of Human Rights at the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia. As a model young leader, he traveled to England where he studied good governance, democracy, and social justice. For more information, see http://www.johnsmithmemorialtrust.org/web/site/Programme/program.asp

She has implemented projects to increase public awareness of ecological issues and build capacity among NGOs in the rural development sector.The State Alumni website is an online community of alumni of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs. It provides opportunities for alumni to network with each other, develop their careers, and stay in touch with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, thus helping to extend their exchange experience. Alumni must register on the site in order to gain access to the community.

October 31, 2009    AQP: “When No One Sees: The Importance of Character in an Age of Image”
On October  31,  2009  IREX  in  collaboration  with  the  Center  for  Leadership  Development  (CLD) organized  a  leadership  forum  for  alumni  currently  holding  mid  or  high  level  decision  making positions  within  their  places  of  employment.  Facilitators  included  Prabhu  Guptara,  Executive Director, Organizational Development of Woldsberg (Switzerland); Jack Fallow, Founder-Director of the  Center  for  Organizational  Effectiveness  (UK);  and  an  independent  business  consultant  Jim Wright  (UK). Thirteen ECA alumni participated in the full day event.  Prior  to  the  Forum,  participants were  assigned  to  150  page  of  reading materials  that  helped  participants  explore  the issues  that surround character. During  the  training,  facilitators covered a curriculum  that  included short  extracts  from  over  30  great  thinkers  and  writers  and  covered  the  following  topics:  the importance  of  character,  character  in  the  crucible,  cultural  erosions  of  character,  spiritual foundations for strong character, and heroes of character.

October 13, 2009     AQP: Academic Integrity - Learning How to Overcome Plagiarism
On October 13, 2009 ECA alumnus and IREX Senior Program Officer Tigran Tovmasyan visited the Gyumri State Pedagogical Institute (GSPI) and trained over 100 students on academic integrity and how to overcome plagiarism. Tigran  presented  to  students wishing  to  study  in  the US  about  the American understanding of academic integrity by defining cheating and inappropriate collaboration, plagiarism,  and  fabrication.  He  also  presented  examples  and  provided  tips  on  how  to  avoid academic misbehavior. The students were also introduced to three ways of using the works of other authors by summarizing, paraphrasing and/or quoting from books, journals, newspapers, presentations, online and other resources

September 26-27, 2009   ECA Learn “Corporate Social Responsibility” at Workshop in Tsaghkadzor
On September 26 and 27, twenty-one Muskie and UGRAD alumni came together for a two-day workshop on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) workshop at the Jupiter Hotel in Tsaghkadzor.

Mr. Nazareth Seferian, Programs Manager at British Council Armenia and CSR Armenia expert, lead the training which provided alumni with an introduction to CSR and its principles, examples of successful CSR programs, the difference between CSR and Corporate Social Investment, and information that would enable alumni to leverage CSR programs for public private partnerships.
On the second day of the training, Mr. Seferian introduced the 18 steps necessary to introduce a CSR strategy in an organization. Alumni learned about the necessities of advocating for CSR (step 1); conducting a philanthropy audit (step 3); identifying CSR strategies for each stakeholder (step 9); implementing the activities (step 15); and evaluating the results (step 17). 2006 Muskie alumna Hasmik Ghazaryan (North Dakota State University, JMC) left the training stating “I will be talking to our CEO about implementing CSR projects”.

September 17, 2009  AQP: Famous Face Series: USG Alumni Meet MCA Country Director Alex Russin
On  September  17,  2009,  Resident  Country  Director  for Armenia  of  the  Millennium  Challenge  Corporation  Alex Russin participated in the “Famous Faces” series along with 15 Global UGRAD and Muskie alumni in Yerevan’s Al Leoni Restaurant.

September 12-13, 2009   Alumni Learn to Use New Web Tools at Sevan Workshop
Alumni of the Global UGRAD and Muskie programs came together at the Best Western Bohemian Resort  in  Sevan  on  September  12  and  13,  2009  to  attend  a  two-day,  interactive  workshop  on “Understanding and Using New Web Tools”

August 29-30, 2009  TEA Alumni Learn to Enhance Cooperation at Training in Sevan, Armenia
Twenty-eight ECA Alumni of the Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program (TEA) attended a two-day conference on enhancing cooperation through teaching methodologies and tools. Held at the Kaputak Hotel, the conference enabled teachers to share their teaching and learning experiences since returning to Armenia specifically in the fields of effective teacher training and connecting assessment and learning.
The training was lead by education expert Serob Khachatryan, Head of Programs at the Children of Armenia Fund; Tigran Tovmasyan, Senior Program Officer at IREX Armenia and ECA Alumnus (Muskie 2002, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Education); and Marine Arakelyan, ECA Alumna and Lecturer at European Regional Education Academy. Guest speakers included Ms. Susan Bridenstine, Assistant Public Affairs Officer of the United States Embassy in Armenia; Ms. Lusine Mkrtchyan, Alumni Coordinator of the United States Embassy in Armenia; and Nazareth Seferian; Programs Manager for British Council Armenia.

August 29, 2009  Building with Fuller
On August 29, 2009 ECA alumni joined The Fuller Center for Housing Armenia (FCH) to help the Martirosyan family complete the exterior of their home in Haytagh Village.

Joined by a ‘Global Builders team from America, US Embassy employees, Peace Corps volunteers, and local community members, ECA alumni worked under the FCH Construction Manager’s guidance and carried buckets full of concrete, gravel and water.
During the build, ECA alumni had a chance to communicate with the US Global Builders’ (GB) Team and reminisce of their experiences in the US. They spoke of the importance of community service – a concept which they say was further implanted in them during their US studies.

August 22, 2009   ECA Alumni Clean Part of Lake Sevan
On August 22, 2009, in celebration of the recently passed International Youth Day, eleven ECA alumni and two IREX staff members worked together in cleaning a small area of Lake Sevan’s polluted shore.

Despite the cold weather, the attending ECA alumni diligently covered a quarter mile stretch of Sevan’s shore picking up trash that accumulated over many months. Over two hours, alumni were able to collect dozens of filled trash bags which mostly included cigarette butts, bottle caps, empty bottles, and plastic bags while asking visitors to be more environmentally conscious by cleaning up after themselves. IREX Armenia Director Arina Zohrabian noted that the main problem that results in littering is “the lack of trash cans. Visitors may want to throw trash out but have no place to do so. This problem can easily resolved by installing trash cans throughout the beaches”.
During the day, alumni also spoke at length about their experiences in the United States, particularly in dealing with community service. ECA alumni concluded that the concept of community service is much more accepted in the US while many in Armenia are not comfortable with it as engaging in such activities causes them to feel embarrassed. They also agreed that they would need to encourage friends and colleagues to be more active within the community for Armenia’s benefit.

August 13, 2009 AQP Famous Faces Series
ECA Alumni Meet VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian and Learn of CSR Best Practices.On August 13, 2009 over twenty ECA alumni and IREX Staff met with the General Manager of Armenia’s leading mobile operator VivaCell-MTS Ralph Yirikian.

August 3, 2009   TEA PDO and Visa Interviews
After successfully receiving J-1 visas from the US Embassy in Armenia, all three finalists of the Eurasia/South Asia Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program (TEA) participated in a full day pre-departure orientation (PDO) at the IREX Yerevan office on August 3, 2009.

August 1, 2009  &nbso;Muskie Finalists Depart for the US
On August 1, the 2009 group of Muskie fellows departed for the US in preparation for their Master’s level studies.

July 16 and 17,    2009 Global UGRAD Finalists Prepare for their Study Abroad Experience in the US
Ten finalists of the 2009 – 2010 Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (Global UGRAD) participated in a two-day pre-departure orientation (PDO) at the IREX Yerevan office on July 16 and 17, 2009.

During the two day event, finalists learned about  the Global UGRAD program and its policies; visa regulations; American culture; US higher education and campus life; about staying safe and healthy in the United States; their upcoming community service and internship experience; the Global UGRAD Passport to America program;  and finally on personal finances and budgeting.
In addition, finalists had the opportunity to meet with two newly returned 2008 Global UGRAD alumni to ask questions relating to their upcoming travel/study to the United States. The US Embassy’s Assistant Public Affairs Officer Susan Bridenstine joined one session of the PDO to congratulate finalists on behalf of the US Embassy in Yerevan.

Held between July 6 and 10 the summer camp enhanced the students’ knowledge and skills in civics, leadership, psychology, environment and English language for enabling them to become better citizens.
During the numerous seminars, the students worked on improving their skills on thinking independently, defending own ideas, and creating a new and better environment for themselves and others. They also learned how to become a good citizen for their school, community, and country.
The classes and activities covered topics and exercises from Leadership, Psychology, Environment, English, Civic Education and Physical Education.
In addition to classes, students engaged in numerous team games including basketball, volleyball, and soccer. Overall, the camp was a huge success with a 100% student attendance rate.

July 4, 2009   Community Service/Cultural Event: Dancing with Alumni
On July 4, 2009 eight ECA alumni and their family members joined 15 students from Vanadzor Zangak’s Center for Children from Vulnerable Families and “Karin” Folk Dance Group at the Naregatsi Art Institute to not only learn the history of national Armenian Dances, but also to learn some of Armenia’s traditional dances.

June 26, 2009  ECA Alumni and Zatik’s Orphans Visit Armenia’s National Gallery
On June 26, 2009 ECA alumni and more than a dozen orphans from “Zatik’s” Vanadzor Center visited the National Gallery of Armenia to learn more about the history of Armenia’s arts and culture.

Participants went on a guided tour of the National Gallery and learned about Armenian artists including Hakob Hovnatanyan and Vardkes Surenyants. 
Two ECA alumni- Anna Vartanova (UGRAD 2008, Eastern Washington University, Computer Science); and Inga Manukyan (Muskie 1999, Rutgers University, Education) also shared their knowledge of Armenia’s arts with the children and lead a roundtable discussion during a lunch that followed the tour. The children noted the importance of art in Armenia’s history and one child mentioned that “I finally understand that art is something a person creates that emphasizes our history and who we are”.

June 18 and 19, 2009    Muskie/Global UGRAD Focus Groups in Kapan and Yeghegnadzor
IREX EPD Senior Program Officer Tigran Tovmasyan and ECA alumna Meri Dallakyan (UGRAD 2008, Minnesota State University at Moorhead, US Studies) visited universities in Kapan, Syunik and Yeghegnadzor, Vayots Dzor to discuss USG funded exchanges while meeting with regional alumni.
Staff visited the Armenian State Engineering University (SEUA) branch in Syunik and the Armenian State University of Economics branch in Yeghegnadzor where more than 45 students from around the city of Kapan and close to 50 students from Yeghegnadzor convened to learn about the Global UGRAD program. At both presentations, Ms. Dallakyan spoke at length about her experiences as a fellow and alumna and happily responded to dozens of questions regarding America’s educational and culture differences. A number of students expressed their interest in applying for the program in fall 2009.

June 2, 2009  Muskie Finalists Prepare for their Departure to the US
Fifteen finalists of the Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program (MUSKIE) participated in a pre-departure orientation (PDO) at the IREX Yerevan office on June 2, 2009. During the full day event, finalists learned about program and visa regulations; American culture; US higher education and academic life; course registration; medical information; travel information and important information regarding arrival and first steps in the US as well as tips on what to pack. In addition, finalists had the opportunity to meet with alumni to ask questions relating to their upcoming travel/study to the United States. Finalists also had the opportunity to meet with Assistant Public Affairs Officer Susan Bridenstine of the US Embassy in Armenia. Ms. Bridenstine spoke briefly of her travel abroad experiences and emphasized the importance of each participant serving as an Ambassador of Armenia.

May 29-30, 2009   Effective Decision Making Approaches, Leadership, Team Work and Managing Change
Fifteen ECA alumni and 10 Center for Leadership Development alumni attended a two-day training on Effective Decision Making Approach, Leadership, Team work and Managing Change at the Congress Hotel in Yerevan. The Training was conducted by Jon A. Chilingerian, a Professor at Brandeis University and Director of Executive Education, Director of the MD-MBA Program, and Co-Director of the AHRQ-funded Doctoral Training Program in Health Services Research also at Brandeis University.  During the event, more than thirty participants analyzed the Carter Race case study and worked together in determining whether “Carter should or should not race”.

May 29, 2009   Muskies Meet with Civilitas Board and Staff, May 29, 2009
The board and staff of Civilitas met a group of Muskies for a “WRAPPING UP THE WEEK” beer and pizza evening on May 29. Twelve Muskies joined former Foreign Affairs Minister to Armenia and Founder of Civilitas Vartan Oskanian, Director Salpi Ghazarian, and other Civilitas staff during an evening event during which discussion topics including fair elections, increasing civic participation, Armenia’s development needs, and Muskie alumni program experiences were tabled.

May 16, 2009  ASG: Environmental Clean-Up Campaign of the Dzoraget River
On May 16, 2009 UGRAD 2000 ECA alumna Taguhi Sahakyan (UGRAD 2000, Montana State University, American Studies) organized an Environmental Clean-up campaign of the Dzoraget River and a Public Awareness Seminar on Environmental Issues and Ecotourism in her hometown of Stepanavan.

The project was conducted through the ECA funded Alumni Small Grant Program with assistance from Stepanavan’s community (Municipality, Secondary School #3 after Hovhannes Toumanyan, Stepanavan Information Center and “Fortuna” TV company), as well as the US Embassy, Byuregh Water, and "Boghosyan Gardens".
The event started with a public awareness seminar on environmental issues for those interested during which ECA alumni Edward Safaryan (Muskie 2001, University of Delaware, Environmental Management) and Lusine Taslakyan (Muskie 2001, University of Idaho, Environmental Management) spoke in detail about Armenia’s current environmental issues, their impacts on our lives, and the disastrous results we may confront if they are not resolved.
Ms. Sahakyan’s project aims to contribute to Stepanavan’s natural surroundings by cleaning up the Dzoraget River and installing trash cans near frequently visited areas. Seventy local students and teachers as well as 20 alumni participated in the campaign. The project not only cleaned Dzoraget River, but instilled a sense of responsibility amongst alumni and volunteers towards Armenia’s nature. Furthermore, Ms. Sahakyan was able to support the community by helping create a bicycle trail from the center of the city to the Lori Fortress. She states “the idea is to attract tourists traveling by bicycle while encouraging locals to use them for exercise and as a cheap and environmentally clean transportation means”.
The event was broadcast on local “Fortuna” TV channel and at the following link: http://www.caps.am/digests.php?date=18/05/2009.  

April 30, 2009  Muskie Re Entry Workshop and Reception at Marriott Armenia Hotel
Eight recently returned alumni of the Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program participated in a Re-entry and Welcome Reception at the Marriott Hotel on April 30, 2009. During the event, alumni learned about the opportunities available to MUSKIE alumni including Alumni Quarterly Plan activities, Alumni Small Grants Program (ASGP), Project Smile grant (PS), Careers for Alumni in Public Service (CAPS), and Public Service Fellowship Program (PSFP). The recently alumni also participated in an introductory meeting with the American Graduates Association in Armenia during which they learned of the organization’s mission, vision and activities.  Alumni also brainstormed and discussed potential events and projects they would like to organize and the numerous career related skills they gained on their Muskie fellowships.
In addition, alumni had the opportunity to participate in a series of panel presentations. First, lead by Director of the Center for Leadership Development Stepan Avanesyan, alumni engaged in a discussion on Armenia’s Development and specifically discussed how they can contribute to Armenia’s road to democracy and economic development (including sharing the knowledge and experiences they gained while Muskie fellows). Later, the Dean of Armenian University of Armenia’s Law School Dr. Tom Samuelian spoke to alumni about how they can serve as change agents. He discussed in detail the need for the fellows to be committed to their causes and to work hard in all their endeavors. Finally, US Ambassador to Armenia Marie Yovanovitch and Minister of Economy of the Republic of Armenia Nerses Yeritsyan spoke to a group of 50 alumni stressing the importance of each one finding his or her mission in Armenia. Minister Yeritsyan stressed that each alumnus should consider it his/her responsibility to contribute to the advancement of Armenia. A reception followed.

April 15, 2009  Learning about “Assessment Policy in Education”
Over 15 alumni gathered at "Jan-Jack Ruso" Restaurant on April 15 and explored strategic issues related to ongoing external assessment practices in schools and centralized nation-wide examinations for entry into universities. With the recent changes in school leaving and university entrance exams for the purpose of ensuring reliability and objectivity of the student test results, alumni and Deputy Minister of Education and Science discussed what more can be done by authorities, schools and parents. Deputy Minister Manuk Mkrtchyan was formerly with the Assessment and Testing Center and was able to provide a comprehensive view of the strengths and weaknesses of assessment activities.

April 4 and March 28, 2009  AQP: Content Management Systems 
On March 28 and April 4, IREX Armenia office in cooperation with Caucasus Research Resource Centers (CRRC) organized training seminars on Content Management Systems for over 15 alumni of the UGRAD and Muskie programs. The training was conducted by ECA Alumnus Arman Arakelyan (Muskie 2005, Simmons College, Library and Information Sciences). During the event, Arman presented Content Management Systems (CMS) and worked with alumni in creating their own personal and corporate web sites using Word Press.
Arman also spoke in depth about Armenian bloggers and their blogs - specifically showcasing success stories and best practices. After the presentation, the participants continued working on their websites and learned about advanced features of the WordPress platform while applying these features in practice. Based on the evaluation, the training had high satisfaction rates and the main recommendations were for future IT trainings in Web 2.0 technologies.

March 28, 2009  Learning about Content Management Systems - Part I
On March 28, ECA alumnus Arman Arakelyan (Muskie 2005, Simmons College, Library and Information Science) conducted a one-day workshop on the professional benefits of blogging. The purpose of the training was to teach alumni how to create personal blogs and enhance professional communication with specialists in each attendee’s respective field(s).
During the first part of the training program, Mr. Arakelyan presented about Content Management Systems (Word Press, Live Journal, Joomla, Drupal), followed by a practical application of the obtained knowledge and skills. In the next sessions, participants designed their own web sites/blogs by using word press, and continued to explore and utilize the features of the Content Managements Systems, and improved their recently created sites. A continuation of this training will take place in April 2009.

March 9, 2009   Educational Event - "Protecting our Natural Resources"
On March 9, 2009 ECA alumna Lusine Taslakyan (Muskie 2001, University of Idaho, Environmental Management) and IREX staff visited Yerevan’s Secondary School #121 in order to teach children about the current environmental problems facing Armenia and how each child can do his/her part in protecting Armenia’s natural resources.
Ms. Taslakyan who studied Environmental Management at the University of Idaho spoke with ninth grade students on best practices for protecting natural resources in Armenia. Three main ecological problems were discussed during the event including Lake Sevan, Teghut Forests and Shikahogh National Park problems. Ms. Taslakyan also gave students the opportunity to study an ecological map of Armenia. She emphasized the need for each student to be responsible and active in ensuring that Armenia’s ecosystems and communities are saved by playing a role the battle against deforestation.

March 4, 2009  Biology Students Learn about the Muskie and the Global UGRAD programs
On March 4, IREX Armenia Director Arina Zohrabian visited Yerevan State University’s (YSU) Department of Biology to present the ECA funded Muskie and Global UGRAD programs to an audience of 150 students. The Biology Department had an organized a two day conference which culminated in a two hour session in which numerous international organizations presented study abroad opportunities.

February 1, 2009   Educational Event: Alumni Discuss Environmental Policy-Making in Armenia
On February 1, 2009, 13 Global UGRAD and Muskie alumni gathered in Yerevan at Thomas Twinning Tea House to discuss current environmental policy making in Armenia. ECA Alumnus (Contemporary Issues Program) and Professor Artashes Ziroyan, Head of the Biodiversity Management Agency and former First Deputy Minister of Nature Protection, spoke about environmental policy, directions, priorities and issues that the Armenian Government currently faces. He identified environment, environmental culture, and natural resources as the three main areas of development and highlighted that Armenia has 27 laws that regulate environmental protection in Armenia. He also noted that the most hazardous environmental issues facing Armenia are the protection of Lake Sevan and over-utilization of natural resources.

December 26, 2008   Educational Event: Alumni Talk Politics during “Man of the Year” Movie Night.
On December 26, 2008, twelve alumni of the UGRAD and Muskie programs participated in a Movie Night at “Seven Cadres” Movie Club to watch “Man of the Year”, a film in which Actor Robin Williams is a comedian who decides to run for president utilizing a strategy of only telling the truth. Following the movie, alumni discussed the similarities and differences of the recently held presidential elections in the US. Alumni jokingly spoke of the possibility of having a comedian run for President in Armenia.

December 14, 2008   Secondary School Teachers Take Chance by Applying for TEA
Forty-four secondary school teachers submitted applications by the December 14, 2008 deadline date for their chance in participating in a six week professional development in the United States. Of these applications, only one was disqualified due to not having the minimum required five years teaching experience. A reading committee comprised of Ms. Bridenstine of the US Embassy in Armenia; ECA alumnus and secondary school teacher Aleksandr Shagafyan (TEA 2007, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, EFL), and English Language Fellow Joanne Munisteri selected thirteen applicants to interview. Interviews took place on January 8, 2009 and were immediately followed with an institutional TOELF exam.

December 2008   Community Service: Alumni Collect 25 Boxes of Toys for Hundreds of Orphans
ECA alumni joined their efforts in collecting more than 25 boxes of toys to be delivered to various orphanages throughout Armenia during the 2008/2009 holiday season. Alumni placed boxes at their place of employment including at Square One Restaurant, Millennium Challenge Account, CAPS (USAID Project), Cascade Credit Bank, ACDI/VOCA, Jermuk Group, Ameria CJSC, Holy See of Armenian Apostolic Church, Yerevan State University, and at IREX Armenia’s Office.

Examples of the toys collected include stuffed animals, puzzles, blocks, crayons, colored paper/pencils, and baby clothes. ECA alumni then distributed these toys to orphans attending the following schools: “Hope” orphanage after F. Nansen; Children’s Home; Trchunyanc Home in Gyumri; Special School in Gavar; “Mary Izmirlyan” Orphanage; and Nubarashen Boarding School in Yerevan.

November 30, 2008   ECAAlumni Walk against Domestic Violence
On November 30, 2008 alumni of the FLEX, UGRAD, and Muskie program joined the US Ambassador to Armenia Marie Yovanovitch and numerous other diplomats and Americans in helping raise awareness to end violence against women in Armenia as part of the worldwide “16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence”. Alumni partook in a five-kilometer walk that started at the IREX office and ended at the American University of Armenia.

November 2008   TEA Alumni Small Grants Program 
In November 2008, the U.S. Department of State and IREX announce an open competition for the TEA 2008-2009 Small Grants Program. Three Armenian teachers applied for the program including: ECA alumna Anahit Aghagulyan (TEA 2008, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, EFL) of Kapan Education Complex #1 who intends to organize a summer camp in Kapan for young leaders; ECA alumna Aida Tshshmarityan (TEA 2003, Montana State University, EFL)  of Stepanavan School # 2 who plans to develop her students speech and presentation skill by preparing them for performances; and ECA alumna Marine Arakelyan (TEA 2004, Montana State University, EFL)  of the European Regional Academy who has indicated that she will share her experience in utilizing multiple tools of assessment in backward design model with EFL teachers.

October 6, 2008   American Elections
On October 6, American Lawyer and Dean of American University of Armenia’s Legal Department Tom Samuelian presented American Elections to fourteen alumni of the US Government sponsored Muskie and Global UGRAD programs. Alumni were very interested in the upcoming US elections and asked Dr. Samuelian questions such as “what will be the most significant economic change for the next President”, “why do independents participate in elections knowing that they are taking away votes of people who would be otherwise voting for the democrats”, and “why are there only two parties in the US?”. Dr. Samuelian patiently responded to each question and also presented a history of American elections.

October 4, 2008   Gyumri’s Social Child Care Center Children Learn to Paint
UGRAD 2003 alumnus Hayk Ghazaryan taught dozens of children how to paint on October 4 at Gyumri’s Social Childcare Center NGO. The NGO is a day-care center that provides food and tutoring to over 100 children ages up to 18 from socially vulnerable and poor families. Children attend the center on a daily basis after school.
During a previous visit to the Gyumri Childcare Center for underprivileged children in spring 2008, '03 UGRAD alumnus Hayk Ghazaryan, together with ECA alumni, IREX staff and the children from the center, cleaned the center's playground. The playground required additional clean-up so alumni gathered with a dozen students from the school to assist in removing additional trash. Hayk also organized for a tractor and truck to clean an area measuring approximately 300 square meters within the Center. This contribution from US alumni triggered interest of a French organization SPFA – an organization that hopes to contribute further to the playground’s construction.
In addition to learning about the benefits of community service and a clean Armenia, alumni and students benefited from a playground that can be used for years to come. At the end of the cleaning, alumni played a number of sports game with the children.

October 4, 2008   Tree Planting at Huys Orphanage
A second event took place on October 4 during which five USG alumni spent a day in Gyumri at the Poghosyan Educational Center participating in a flower planting project.

September 20, 2008   Celebrating the Independence Day in the Capital
Thirty-two children and teachers from Gavar’s Special School arrived in Yerevan on September 20, 2008 for Armenia’s Independence Day Celebration.

September 6-7, 2008   Alumni Learn to Progress their Careers 
On September 6 and 7, 2008 ECA alumni gathered at the Kecharis Hotel in Tsaghkadzor, Armenia to participate in a two day seminar on Career Progression. Trainers included Michael Dyer, Program Officer for the Muskie program based in Washington, DC; and Arina Zohrabian, Deputy Regional Director Education Programs; and Tigran Tovmasyan, Education Consultant both based in IREX Armenia. 
The training enabled alumni to discuss connections between US exchange program goals, alumni program goads, and your own career goals; link their personal values into the concept of planning their career progression; and develop and expand their plans for job search. Sessions discussed work related values, how to go about finding work, short and long-term career goals, what employers are looking for in an employee, and networking do’s and don’ts. Alumni also worked extensively to improve their resume and cover writing skills. 

August 25, 2008   Public Service Fellowship Program Announcement
On August 25, 2008 IREX Armenia office announced the third round of the US Embassy in Armenia funded Public Service Fellowship Program (PSFP). Grants will be accepted on a rolling basis and will provide monthly stipends to awardees to increase the impact of US Government funded program in Armenia’s Ministries or public/state Academic Institutions. The program is meant to involve alumni in the public service sector in their home communities, spread the training and education alumni receive in the United States through the public sector, and to encourage alumni to contribute to under-funded Ministries or Academic Institutions in need of their skills and expertise.

August 23-24, 2008   Establishing a Clear Understanding of Project Management
Twenty USG alumni participated in a two-day seminar on Project Management that established a clear understanding of the theoretical and practical components of Project Management. Held at Tsapatagh Hotel in Gegharkunik, Armenia, the training was led by Albert Poghosyan and focused on the theoretical background of project management; practical tools/techniques and experience sharing; and practical tasks consideration and problem solving.

August 9-10, 2008   ASG/PS Training
Thirty-nine ECA alumni from Armenia and Abkhazia participated in a two-day Alumni Small Grant/Project Smile training entitled “Alumni in Action: Meeting Community Needs”, which took place at Arthur’s Resort in Aghveran, Armenia on August 9-10, 2008. The purpose of the training was to motivate alumni to actively participate in community development, to promote the idea of volunteerism, and to develop networking and cooperation amongst Muskie and UGRAD alumni.  During the two day event, alumni had an opportunity to reflect and develop their own missions as alumni while being introduced to Armenia’s specific needs from various experts including Managing Partner of Arlex International and Dean of the American University of Armenia Law School Thomas Samuelian; Head of the Rural Development Program Department Hayk Petrosyan; and President of the Association for Sustainable Human Development Karine Danielyan.  Throughout “ideastorming” sessions, alumni worked together in identifying current issues in Armenian (and Abkhazian) communities which they then worked in groups to develop project proposals for the Alumni Small Grants program.

August 8, 2008   UGRAD Re-Entry Workshop: Newly Arrived UGRAD Alumni Adjust to Life Back Home 
On August 8, 2008, sixteen newly returned alumni of the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program participated in a Re-Entry Workshop in Aghveran, Armenia including 14 Armenians and two Abkhazians.

August 4, 2008   Muskie Finalists from Armenia Depart for the United States 
On August 4, the 2008 group of Muskie fellows departed for the US in preparation for their Master’s level studies. All 146 fellows, including 15 citizens of Armenia, participated in a four day pre-program orientation at the Kellogg Conference Center at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC during which they took part in sessions ranging from housing and personal finance to academic success and finding an internship. Upon completion of the orientation, finalists then traveled to their respective universities where they commenced their studies. 

July 26-27, 2008   Alumni Present USG Education Programs to Armenian Citizens
On July 26 and 27, 2008, ECA alumni Gayane Ordukhanyan (UGRAD 08, Campbellsville University, Economics) and Muskie 2002 Tigran Tovmasyan (University of Massachusetts, Education,) traveled to the regions of Lori and Syunik to present their educational and personal experiences as USG fellows studying in the United States. Ms. Ordukhanyan met with students from Alaverdi City’s Northern University and Stepanavan City’s Youth Centre where she presented her experiences to more than 40 students.  Mr. Tovmasyan shared his experiences with more than 30 students at Armenia State University of Architecture in Kapan and at Goris State University in Goris, Syunik region.

July 25, 2008   Alumni Discussion with the Head of Economic Court
On July 25, 2008 14 alumni of the Global UGRAD and Muskie programs had an opportunity to meet and talk with the Head of Armenian’s Economic Court and ECA alumnus Edward Muradyan (Muskie 1993, Capital University, Law). During the professional development event, Mr. Muradyan spoke about the current reformation process in Armenia’s court system and the human rights issues. He also shared his experience working in legislative documents and inspired the alumni to contribute to the Armenia’s better life.   

  Focus Group Meeting in Yerevan and Regions
On July 20, ECA alumni of the Global UGRAD and Muskie programs gathered for one of a series of Focus Group Meetings aimed to increase alumni  participation, share alumni successes, monitor grant activities, and promote Alumni Quarterly Event and grant opportunities.

July 18, 2008   Alumni Movie Night: “An Inconvenient Truth”
On July 18, 2008 over 20 alumni got together at “Seven Cadres” Movie Club to watch “An Inconvenient Truth”, an American documentary film about global warming, presented by former United States Vice President Al Gore. ECA alumnus Edward Safaryan (Muskie 2001, University of Delaware, Environmental Management) gave a short background presentation on the consequences of global environmental problems for Armenia and facilitated the discussion which was then followed by the movie screening.