We Are Gyumri” has announced the ongoing application process for the 2025-2026 Mina Shirvanian Scholarship, marking an important milestone in its commitment to the educational growth of youth in Shirak Province. The scholarship is currently open for applications, with selected recipients set to be announced in the coming months. This initiative continues to empower young individuals from Shirak Province, enabling them to pursue higher education in their homeland. The application can be accessed by clicking application link.

Last year, the program celebrated the awarding of scholarships to 22 exceptional students, the largest group to benefit since the program’s launch, thanks to the generous contributions of the Shirvanian family and other key sponsors, including Mr. and Mrs. Vahik and Alice Petrossian, Mr. and Mrs. Jack and Zarig Youredjian, Mr. and Mrs. Nikol and Zabel Abrahamian, Mr. & Mrs. Sako and Seta Kargodorian, and Mr. and Mrs. Avo and Sylva Oughourlian. These donations have been crucial in expanding the program and allowing it to reach even more young people in the region.

The goal of the We Are Gyumri Mina Shirvanian Scholarship, is to inspire young people in Shirak Province to pursue higher education without leaving their homeland, addressing the challenge of emigration. The scholarship supports students in a variety of fields, including Language Arts, History, Law, Journalism, Psychology, and Applied Arts, to name a few, while also encouraging their academic and professional ambitions within Armenia.

A key feature of the scholarship program is the strong focus on community involvement. Scholars are expected to contribute their time and skills at the Shirvanian Youth Center in Gyumri, which has been a vital educational and cultural hub for local youth since its opening in 2016. This center offers a variety of year-round programs, including English language classes, Armenian national dance, math tutoring, computer lessons, and more, benefiting both local youth and displaced children from Artsakh.

Students from the following educational institutions are eligible to apply: Shirak State University, the Gyumri Branch of the National Polytechnic University of Armenia, the Gyumri Branch of the State Academy of Fine Arts of Armenia, and the Gyumri Branch of the Armenian State University of Economics. The scholarship program will focus on the following departments/majors: Information Technologies, Informatics and Applied Mathematics, Service, Marketing, Armenian Language and Literature, Journalism, English Language and Literature, Translation/English and Armenian, Translation/Russian and Armenian, Russian Language and Literature, History, Elementary Pedagogy and Methodology, Special Pedagogy, Social Pedagogy, Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, Physical Education and Sports Training, Decorative Applied Arts, Basic Military, Graphics, Design, Painting, Computer Graphics, Electronics, Industrial and Civil Engineering and Structural Design.

The application process is competitive, with selected candidates being interviewed and verified through their academic records. The deadline to apply for the 2025-2026 academic year is June 7.

The mission of the We Are Gyumri committee is to create a positive and lasting impact on youth in Gyumri, Armenia. The campaign restructured and renovated the Shirvanian Youth Center in Gyumri that had been destroyed during the 1988 Spitak earthquake. A year-round functional program was created at the Center to teach youth in Gyumri everyday skills, to provide them with the essentials they need for a brighter future, and to serve as a bridge between youth in Gyumri and their peers in the Diaspora. As another component of the campaign, the We Are Gyumri Mina Shirvanian Scholarship Fund is intended for residents of the Shirak Province to pursue their undergraduate education in their native region. We Are Gyumri is an ARF Western U.S. Central Committee initiative.