Alis Sharafyan (BAPG ‘25)

Alis Sharafyan, an alum of the Politics and Governance (BAPG) program at the American University of Armenia (Class of 2025), has been actively engaged in youth leadership, human rights advocacy, and civic initiatives across Armenia since 2016. Long before university, she was already organizing community actions, bringing people together, and addressing injustice at the grassroots level. Her engagement stems from a deep understanding of the social and political challenges facing citizens, and a commitment to creating tangible change.

The BAPG program at AUA provided her with a critical foundation to understand and address the systems she had long worked to improve. Combining academic theory with practical engagement, the program equipped her with the tools, language, and confidence to expand her impact.

As a student representative for the BAPG program, Alis worked closely with students, faculty, and administration to advocate for student needs and launch meaningful initiatives. This experience strengthened her leadership and taught her the importance of bridging diverse perspectives with compassion and purpose.

Through AUA’s network, Alis joined the OSCE Youth Dialogue Program and later contributed to the OSCE Human Rights Dimension Conference, transitioning from local engagement to international platforms. As an active student she also joins TEDx MoskovyanSt event of 2025 to discuss her journey as a student and communications manager.

In Fall 2025, Alis will begin her graduate studies in Human Rights and Social Justice at AUA. Her goal is to work at the intersection of communication, advocacy, and policy – amplifying marginalized voices and promoting human dignity in post-conflict and authoritarian settings.

Her message to future BAPG students: change doesn’t require permission or perfection – only initiative.