Because Education Matters
Endowment Funds
“In considering what organizations to include in my estate, the AEF always rises to the top. I believe in education and the work that the AEF does in providing education, and I believe in the mission that AEF ascribes to.”
Sheila Papayans, California
The first fund was established in 1962 with $50,000 form Abraham Karapetian. In 1963, another was created when three individuals, Aghavni Guleserian, Lilian Movel and Oscar Caprielian, contributed a sum of $75,000.
After losing a bit of momentum, interest in scholarship funds has been on the rise in recent years. For example, in 1990, Ralph and Savey Tufenkian, in loving memory of their son, established the Richard Tufenkian Memorial Scholarship Fund in the amount of $215,000. The Tufenkian family requested that each year outstanding college and university students in California be awarded grants in recognition of their superior academic records.
In 1993, another fund was established by George Jorjorian in loving memory his parents Bagdasar and Vehanoosh Jorjorian. Mr. Jorjorian specifically requested that the money, $85,000, go to students in Anjar, Lebanon who are pursuing higher education in that country or in Armenia.
Today, a greater number of Armenian students are seeking to extend their level of education beyond high school and even college. With the formation of more scholarship funds, the AEF can provide additional support to a larger number of these students in colleges and universities in the United States, award those pursuing Armenian studies, establish funds which would focus on specific fields and give financial assistance for academic research. In this way, the AEF hopes that it will help young people make lasting contributions to their respective communities.
AEF holds and administers the following endowment funds for various educational grants and scholarships in Diaspora and Armenia:
Tufenkian Fund: Established in 1992, the $230,000 fund provides $14,000 annually in scholarships to students attending universities in the United States, Armenia and Artsakh.
Palanjian Jemaran Fund: Established in 1994, the $60,000 fund provides $3,000 annually to the Aslanian Palanjian Jemaran school in Beirut.
Jorjorian Fund (Anjar): Established in 1994, the $85,000 fund provides $6,000 annually in scholarships to graduates from the Gulbenkian School in Anjar who attend universities in Lebanon.
Peshtilmajian Fund: Established in 1998, the $60,000 fund provides support for scholarships in Armenian Genocide Studies in Armenia.
Movsessian Fund: Established in 2003, the $50,000 fund provides full tuition scholarships to students attending public universities in Armenia majoring in Law.
Shrikian Fund (Anjar): Established in 2004, the $150,000 fund provides annual support for the Gulbenkian School in Anjar, Lebanon.
Fidanian Fund: Established in 2005, the $100,000 fund provides $5,000 annually to cover the full tuition for five students in Armenia.
Shrikian Fund (Antelias): Established in 2007, the $150,000 fund provides for the preparation of priests at Antelias Seminary.
Jorjorian Fund (Armenia): Established in 2012, the fund provides full tuition scholarships for 24 Armenia public university students who are graduates of high schools in Stepanakert, Alaverdi, Spitak, Gyumri, Echmiatzin, Dilijan and Stepanakert.
Vahe Shrikian Fund (Anjar): Established in 2012, the $150,000 fund provides financial support to the Anjar school and university scholarships for graduates of Anjar schools.
Mirzaian Fund: Established in 2013, the $20,000 fund provides $2,000 for two full tuition scholarships for students attending public universities in Armenia majoring in Animation.
John Varjabedian Fund: Established in 2014, the $50,000 fund provides $2,000 for two scholarships to graduates from high schools in the New Arabkir region in Yerevan attending public universities in Armenia.
Ghassemian Fund: Established in 2014, the $100,000 fund provides full tuition scholarships to 16 Artsakh State University students who are graduates of high schools in Artsakh.
Markarian-Arakelians Fund: Established in 2016, the $250,000 fund provides full tuition scholarships to 15 students attending universities in Armenia and Artsakh. Additionally, this endowment will provide funds to purchase musical instruments and/or repair village schools.
Koundakjian Fund: Established in 2016, the $34,000 fund provides $5,000 for full tuition scholarships to 5 students studying in the fields relating to agriculture and attending public universities in Armenia and Artsakh.
Tufenkian Caroline: Established in 2017, the $10,000 fund provides $2,000 for full tuition scholarships to 2 students studying in the fields of art history and museum studies, and attending public universities in Armenia.
Hacop Baghdassarian Fund: Established in 2017, the $100,000 fund provides $6,000 for full tuition scholarships to 6 students attending public universities in Armenia and Artsakh.
Hacob & Mina Shirvanian Fund: Established in 2017, the $70,000 fund provides $5,000 for full tuition scholarships to 5 students attending public universities in Armenia and Artsakh.
Amirian Fund: Established in 2018, the $100,000 fund provides $4,000 for full tuition scholarships to 4 students attending public universities in Armenia, Artsakh and Javakhk.
Berksanlar Fund: Established in 2019, the $51,000 fund provides $4,000 for full tuition scholarships to 4 students attending public universities in Armenia, Artsakh and Javakhk.
Ararat San Francisco Fund: Established in 2019, the $44,000 fund provides $2,000 for full tuition scholarships to 2 students attending public universities in Armenia, Artsakh and Javakhk.
Tufenkian-Lopez Fund: Established in 2020 by the Tufenkians for their niece’s grandchildren, the $18,000 fund will provide scholarships for 2 students for 4 years, beginning in 2031, to attend public college or university in the United States.
Because of the generous support of numerous benefactors, the AEF has been able to accomplish the following over the years: Renovated over 200 schools in Armenia, Artsakh, and Javakhk; Established the UCLA Chair in Modern Armenian History; Provided scholarships to thousands of Armenian students in Armenia and the Diaspora; Provided thousands of students with school supplies; Provided computers, printers, software and training to the AEF renovated schools in Armenia and Artsakh.
“I am a retired school teacher who strongly believes in education and helping the needy to gain college education. Originally, I established an endowment fund with AEF in 1994 in memory of my parents to provide annual college tuition support to three students who had graduated from the Gulbenkian High school in Anjar, Lebanon. In 20 years since, the $75,000 Fund has distributed $110,000 in scholarships. Based on the success of this Fund, I established a second Fund in 2011 , valued at $250,000, in the name of my two daughters, to provide annually college tuition for 24 graduates of high schools from six regions of Armenia and Artsakh”.
George Jorjorian, California