Bandazian Scholarship Fund Now Accepting 2016 Applications

Grant applications are being accepted from prospective candidates for the Virginia D. Bandazian Scholarship Fund for 2016.

Virginia D. Bandazian was an advocate for the education of Armenian women, believing that “without its women being educated, a society cannot advance.” The fund was established by her children in 1997 after her passing, and aims to facilitate the education of Armenian women whose legal residence is in the communities of Virginia, Maryland, or the Washington, D.C. area.

A new board was recently created for the scholarship fund, and now includes Virginia’s grandchildren, Ani T. Khatchadourian of Watertown, Mass., managing trustee; Raffi Bandazian of Richmond, Va.; and Sona K. Pomfret of Richmond, Va. They look forward to moving forward with their grandmother’s vision.

The scholarship is an open grant awarded to full-time, female Armenian undergraduate or graduate students on the basis of merit and need. Students must be enrolled in an accredited university or college in the United States. At least two letters of recommendation must be received from Armenian organizations, Armenian community leaders, or a parish priest of the Virginia, Maryland or Washington area verifying the involvement and good standing of the applicant in Armenian activities.

To view and print the application, visit virginiabandazianfund.squarespace.com. Current grants are for $1,000 and will be awarded prior to June 1, 2016. Applications must be filed before April 30, 2016, complete with all relevant information, pictures, documents, and transcripts.

For more information, contact Ani T. Khatchadourian at ani.jerikian@gmail.com, Raffi Bandazian at raffi@bandazian.com, or Sona Pomfret at sonapom@aol.com; or visit www.virginiabandazianfund.squarespace.com.