Thanks to a new partnership between the U.S. State Department and the Hirair and Anna Hovnanian Foundation, Armenian students will have even more opportunities each year to take part in the Fulbright Program, the largest U.S. exchange program offering opportunities for students and young professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, and university teaching.
Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, the newly created Fulbright-Hovnanian exchange program will provide five additional exchange opportunities for students working on master’s degrees in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, or math) and/or entrepreneurship. These five slots are in addition to the traditional Fulbright exchange opportunities offered annually to Armenian students and academics.
“We are very excited to be working with the Hovnanian Foundation, together giving the Armenian people the skills they need to realize their goals, and strengthen their respective fields and their nation’s future,” U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Richard Mills, Jr. said. “In today’s world, no nation will grow without technology, without science, without entrepreneurship. So I believe this new Fulbright-Hovnanian program will go a long way in advancing Armenia.”
The Hovnanian Foundation was looking for a way to invest in Armenia’s future through STEM education and entrepreneurship, and chose to partner with the State Department’s Fulbright Program after evaluating its past success. Approximately 200 Armenians have participated in the traditional Fulbright program, studying in the U.S., since its launch in Armenian, and returned home with new skills and expertise.
“Partnering with the Fulbright program was an easy decision to make — the reputation it has for being a top notch program that truly has impact worldwide is well established,” said Edele Hovnanian. “Our family’s foundation is hoping this is the beginning of a long and expanding partnership with the U.S. Embassy to create more opportunities for the citizens of Armenia to gain skills that will help Armenia be a place where anyone who wants to work, has such opportunities; a place where new ideas and ventures in science, technology, engineering and math help Armenians and allow Armenia to make its mark on the world stage.”
Applications are now open for both the traditional Fulbright program and the new Fulbright-Hovnanian STEM+E exchanges which will take place in 2017. These grants will be for master’s degree study in the U.S. during the 2017-2018 academic year. The deadline to apply for the traditional Fulbright exchanges is June 3, 2016. The deadline for the Fulbright-Hovnanian program grant is July 15, 2016. Eligibility requirements and application procedures can be found on the Embassy website.
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