This scholarship was established in honor of Sona Mnatsakanyan, a talented young Armenian woman who died in a tragic car accident at Leo intersection in Yerevan on April 26, 2022. The scholarship program is named after Sona, with the aim of continuing her work and supporting the resolution of the issues that so concerned her.

Scholarship History

The scholarship program was initiated by Seda Papoyan, Sona’s friend and founder of FEMINNO, and has received extensive support from Sona’s family and friends. In 2022, during the first year of the scholarship program, 10 bright talents were awarded within the framework of the FEMINNO conference, as a result of the 2023 fundraising, it was possible to provide scholarships to 7 more girls. In 2024, 7 more girls also had the opportunity to continue their education at prestigious universities in Armenia and around the world thanks to scholarships.

About Sona

Sona Mnatsakanyan was an exceptionally talented woman who cared about everything related to Armenia. She helped everyone in need and made a difference wherever she could. Her life path and wonderful plans were cut short by a tragic accident, taking her unborn daughter with her. Now, it has become a special mission to follow Sona’s wisdom and help realize her dreams, which were connected to Armenia, science, technology, and the talent of the woman who manifested in all of this.

About the goals and target of the scholarship

The Sona Mnatsakanyan Female Talent Scholarship brings together those who knew Sona and her work and want to support her unfinished business. The scholarship also brings together those interested in the future of STEM/STEM in Armenia.

The funds raised are allocated in the form of one-time scholarships to talented Armenian women and girls in the following three main categories:

Renewable Energy,

Technology,

Science.

Your support will reach new girls in science

A new round of scholarships will be awarded again during the FEMINNO conference, which will take place this year on November 15 at the Woods Center in Jrvezh. Ten girls and women from Armenia and Artsakh who are engaged in one of the three main areas mentioned above will receive support to continue their efforts. The main goal is to continue Sona’s programs to develop Armenia through quality education, support for talented people and, in particular, educating women and girls like Sona. The winners will be selected through an open competition, which will be announced soon and will be reviewed by a committee consisting of the organizers, Sona’s family members and experts in the field.

As a symbolic tradition, Sona’s mother will present the award to the selected applicants.

About the impact of the scholarship

“It was very important for me to see that there are people in our country who value and encourage the participation of women and girls in the STEM field, which makes us more responsible to do great things. “You should really expect great things from us,” says Ani Petrosyan, one of the 2022 scholarship recipients, who is currently studying data science and artificial intelligence at the University of Pennsylvania.

“This scholarship gave me the opportunity to take advantage of my opportunity to study in Germany and pursue my dream, because otherwise I would have had to give up due to financial problems,” says Mary Grigoryan, one of the 2023 scholarship recipients, who, thanks to a scholarship, studied computer science and data science at the Jacobs University in Bremen.

“This scholarship not only gives me the opportunity to continue my current education in the field of medicine and medicine, but also encourages me to explore advanced research opportunities that will further enhance my education,” says Laura Gevorgyan, one of the 2024 scholarship recipients, who participated in a master’s program in pharmacy at the University of Burgundy in France.

Sona Mnatsakanyan believed that education can change lives, and everyone deserves that opportunity. Let's continue Sona's vision and support youth education!

You can see the project budget here.