Manana Hakobyan, Armenia, UWCD’16, was among the first, very special, cohort of students who joined UWCD in 2014, when the school opened. We have been following their progress with special interest for obvious reasons – they are trailblazers, and Manana has lived up to our expectations by setting the bar for academic achievement and community services as a UWCD graduate of the first class.
Manana’s scholarship to UWCD was generously supported by the leadership team members of Ameria, one of the premier Armenian corporations. She received a Davis UWC scholarship and a Scholae Mundi Foundation scholarship to attend University of California, Berkeley, graduating in 2020 with an Economics B.A. and a Data Science B.A.  This year Manana completed her Masters in Data Science at Harvard University.

Manana (front row, 3rd from right) at the opening of UWC Dilijan on 11 October 2014
 

Active in the UWCD community, Manana has been involved in the establishment of the UWCD inaugural Alumni Council and serves on the Advancement Committee of the UWCD Board. Manana has also supported the college by participating in numerous UWCD events such as 2019/20 UWCD Global Gathering.
 
We are proud of Manana and hope that, as a representative of our first cohort of students, she will continue to lead the way by example.

In Manana's own words 

❝UWC Dilijan has been one of the most crucial drivers to get where I am right now. It is the place where I first envisioned myself studying abroad and realised that my dreams are as real as I want them to be. It is the place where I met people who have been a reliable part of my support system in any challenges which life throws at me. UWC Dilijan is not merely a school, it is a life experience that shaped me into a stronger person. 
I am immensely grateful to the organisations which supported me and other UWC Dilijan alumni financially to attend the amazing universities post UWCD graduation. All this support has always made me more conscious of the opportunities I was given and pushed me harder to put my absolute best foot forward.

After graduating from UWC Dilijan I became part of the UWC Alumni Council establishing board and then part of the first council group. I am also a representative at the Advancement Committee where I represent the students/alumni voice in many strategic decisions for the school. 
A lot of people have the misconception that UWC Dilijan enables us to leave our countries and communities, but in reality, the whole narrative in the school was about giving back to my Armenian community, and it stays with me throughout my other endeavours. I am now leading a non-profit organisation which aims to develop the data-driven fields in Armenia. And I am excited to join one of the world’s biggest tech companies and develop my professional skills further as a data scientist and manager.❞