Student from Armenia Pursues MBA at Craig School of Business

Hakop Tataryan
staff writer

For the past several years, the Armenian Studies Program at CSU Fresno has been establishing close ties with Yerevan State University and the Armenian Agricultural Academy. During this time, outstanding students from Armenia have been able to study at Fresno State. The Armenian Studies Program has generated different scholarships for these outstanding students. Students from Fresno have also had the opportunity to study in Armenia while receiving credit at Fresno State.

The Armenian Studies Program at CSU Fresno would like to introduce Vahan Papyan. At the age of twenty-one, Vahan recently earned his Bachelor of Arts in Finance from the Armenian Agricultural Academy. Last semester, Vahan was admitted to the renowned Craig School of Business graduate program at Fresno State where he plans to earn an MBA degree. His impressive GMAT and high TOEFL scores guaranteed that he would be one of the top candidates for the MBA program.

“We are delighted to have Vahan in our program.  He not only has exceptional quantitative skills, he also adds yet another dimension to a hallmark of our program—our global perspective” said Mark Keppler, who is the director of the business graduate program at Fresno State.

Vahan’s enrollment to the MBA program is unprecedented. Unlike his predecessors, who took a variety of classes at Fresno State, Vahan is the first student from Armenia to be enrolled in the graduate program at the Craig School of Business.

Armenian Studies Professor Barlow Der Mugrdechian met Vahan on his first trip to America. A few semesters ago, Vahan was a visiting student taking a variety of classes at Fresno State. Professor Der Mugrdechian was very impressed with Vahan’s capabilities and advocated his admittance to Fresno State.

“I felt that Vahan encompassed abundant amounts of talent, and was an exceptional student as well,” professor Der Mugrdechian commented. The Armenian Studies Program assisted Vahan in various ways, including a scholarship.

“I thank the Armenian Studies Program profusely, for without their help I would not have had the opportunity to study in the Craig School of Business graduate program,” stated Vahan.

Prolific author Michael J. Arlen would describe Vahan as “prosperous, vigorous, and robust.” Vahan has worked extremely hard to grow to be the person he is now. He has studied and taught in the Armenian Agriculture Center, worked at the HSBC Bank in Armenia, and speaks fluent Russian as well as English to go along with his native language of Armenia. Now he is working harder then ever at the Craig School graduate program, and plans to earn his MBA degree in the field of Finance.

Vahan hopes to graduate in the next couple of years. After graduating he wants to return to Armenia and give something back to his country’s economy. Vahan’s dedication is certainly admirable, for with a MBA degree in Finance he could easily have a lucrative career in the United States. However, his mind and heart are set on returning to Armenia after he finishes his studies.
Vahan’s family is currently in Armenia. He misses them dearly and they are always in his heart and in his prayers. His determination is what drives him from day to day. We are all proud of you Vahan.