AGSA Unprecedented Networking Forum a Success (Winter 08)

Arpine Hovasapian
ahovasap@ucla.edu

The Armenian Graduate Student Association at UCLA held its first Graduate Professional Networking Forum at Kerckhoff Grand Salon on Thursday, February 28. This unprecedented event provided graduate and undergraduate students an opportunity to meet young Armenian-American professionals from a variety of different companies and career fields.

With a turnout of over 200 young professionals from both inside and outside of UCLA, the evening was a great success. The event allowed students to learn from and network with accomplished Armenian-Americans who had successfully transitioned from the academic world into the professional world of career development. The forum was hosted by former and current AGSA members.

"It is great seeing so many young Armenian professionals in one place," stated attendee Levon Simonian. "Being able to network with so many accomplished Armenians is a great opportunity."
Armenian-American professionals representing such companies as ABC, Boeing, Disney, MySpace, Citigroup Investment Banking, and Pepsi Bottle Groups came to speak with students about post-graduate life and career opportunities.

Some of these professionals included ULCA graduates such as Erica Sardarian, who had entered the world of entertainment working at E! post-UCLA and has since worked as Associate Producer for a documentary program on the History channel.

Sharis Minassian, who also attended UCLA as an undergraduate, spoke with aspiring law students about her experiences at Pepperdine Law School and her practice at Ernst & Young law firm.

The forum also included representatives from various Armenian-American professional organizations that students can get involved in after graduation.

Groups such as the Armenian Bar Association, Armenian Engineers & Scientists of America, and USC Armenian Graduate Student Association introduced attendees to their organizations’ projects and events. The Arpa Foundation for Film, Music and Art, an organization that promotes the arts and the cultural environment of the community, informed students about their upcoming events and the ways that students can get more involved in the Armenian-American art scene.

The AGSA at UCLA, established in 2002, aims to promote Armenian graduate life. Members of AGSA come from various graduate programs and organize and contribute to various social, academic, and cultural programs throughout the school year.
Events from this year included the Mentorship Panel, the Yacht Gala, and the Graduate Student Colloquium in Armenian studies.

"We wanted to bridge the gap between the academic world and the professional world for graduates and current students. This was one of the organization’s most important goals and tonight it became a reality," stated Raffi Kassabian, AGSA Executive Officer and UCLA law student.