The Armenian state is navigating a period of heightened vulnerability marked by compounding crises—diplomatic disorientation, policy incoherence, national security volatility, and economic instability—which erode the state’s credibility, hollow out institutions, and leave citizens with the impossible choice between passive endurance and exile. The root of this disorder lies not only in structural imbalance but in a profound deficit of strategic capacity, particularly in foreign policy. Armenia lacks professionals who can operate with fluency across competing geopolitical spheres, apply economic statecraft to national security, and negotiate connectivity without compromising sovereignty. These are not just desired competencies; they are prerequisites for survival and progress.

I believe my academic, professional, and linguistic background has prepared me to contribute to this need with thoughtful focus and a clear sense of purpose. I hold a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, where I graduated magna cum laude, earned honors in the major for my thesis on diasporic agency in international relations, and was inducted into several of the most selective honor societies in the United States. My education was defined by proximity to practitioners: former and sitting ambassadors, high-ranking policymakers, and regional specialists whose mentorship extended beyond the classroom. My work in policy research with the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) and the Middle East Council on Global Affairs (former Brookings Doha) further solidified this foundation. Earlier this year, I published my debut policy paper with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and I am currently preparing follow-up publications.

What makes this foundation unique is its transnational orientation. I have studied and conducted field research between Georgetown’s campuses in Washington, D.C., and Doha, granting me access to elite policy circles in the U.S., the Middle East, and Europe. I maintain working relationships with diaspora leaders, diplomats, and practitioners across these regions. This network will grow deeper and more institutionalized through the prestigious Master of Arts in International Relations (MAIR) program at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. With its rigorous 64-credit curriculum and intensive policy training modules, SAIS offers a distinctly practical education. Its location in Washington provides unparalleled access to policymakers and international institutions. At SAIS, I will refine my capacity to advise on post-conflict reconstruction, broker regional alignments across adversarial interests, and design mechanisms for Armenia’s integration into regional and global frameworks—particularly in energy, trade, and security. I also plan to deepen my regional linguistic proficiency by studying Turkish or Farsi to complement my command of Armenian (both Eastern and Western), Russian, Arabic, and English.

Upon completing my degree, I plan to serve in a policy advisory capacity—either within Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs or in a research institution that informs statecraft. My focus will be threefold: crafting informed foreign and domestic policy rooted in geopolitical realism; designing actionable frameworks for leveraging Armenia’s youth and scientific capacity in sectors such as defense, healthcare, and public services; and integrating diaspora expertise into national planning in a way that is institutional, sustained, and strategic. The untapped will of young diaspora Armenians I encountered in Washington—many of whom are prepared to dedicate their careers to the homeland—cannot remain a peripheral resource. I hope to craft policy work that would reflect this reality.

The long-term goal is to help build a state that functions beyond the logic of reaction—one that sets its own terms diplomatically and economically, and that can negotiate with confidence across power centers. I also intend to advocate for educational partnerships modeled after the Gulf’s success in attracting world-class universities through local foundations. Access to transformative education should not remain an individual struggle but should be supported through structured fellowships and cross-institutional networks. The next generation of Armenian policymakers should not have to leave the region in order to enter the world.

This commitment reflects a grounded and deliberate intention, shaped by the most pressing needs of the Armenian nation. My education and professional path have been carefully structured to address those needs with clarity, discipline, and sustained focus. It is therefore with full awareness of the weight of my words that I respectfully request the support of the Huys Foundation for my education, in full commitment to the course of action I have laid out.

I am aware that Huys Foundation is granting the Huys Scholarship to me with the anticipation of my good faith pursuit and implementation of the projects and undertakings described in this letter, to which I hereby commit.