For Hakop “Jack” Azatyan, the Social Sciences Summer Academic Enrichment Program was a gateway to leadership and research opportunities that have pushed the sociology major beyond his comfort zone.

“SAEP taught me how to work closely and cohesively with a small group of students – something I hadn’t done before,” he said. “It also opened my eyes to the many opportunities available to students at UCI who choose to get involved.”

A transfer student, Azatyan credits the program with helping to get him involved in the school Dean’s Ambassadors Council for which he has served for the past year as executive chair. He also got some of his sociology colleagues together to form the Sociology Club to promote awareness of the major. The intensive research focus of SAEP helped him discover a passion for learning more about his Armenian community, a topic he is now exploring in depth through the sociology honors program.

“I’m interested in the Armenian diaspora and how genocide effects settlement, cultural perseverance and return to the motherland,” he says.

He also linked up with the Olive Tree Initiative last year to further his understanding of the Turkey/Armenian conflict through experiential education in the region. He’ll be part of the student group traveling this summer to the region to meet first hand with civilians, senators, ambassadors and academics who can provide a first-hand account of current events and issues.

“My research goal is to determine whether Armenians who have migrated to Los Angeles have a desire to return to their homeland,” he says. “Visiting both Turkey and Armenia through OTI will allow me to examine living conditions, governmental and economic structure to justify my findings from LA.”

He received a boost this month to help fund his trip; the junior is this year’s recipient of both the Social Sciences Outstanding Transfer Scholarship and the David and Kristin Rosten International Education & Service Scholarship. The awards total $1300 and recognize Azatyan for excellence in research and scholarship.

When he returns from the Middle East, he’ll be packing his bags for D.C. to take part in the Armenian National Committee Association Leo Sarkisian Summer Internship Program. For eight weeks, he’ll learn how lobbying and think tanks function while gaining a better understanding of the Armenian American community on a federal, state and local level – an experience he says will help in expanding advocacy efforts in his hometown of Van Nuys and at UCI.

“By obtaining these skills and becoming well versed on how these agencies interact and function, I stand a better chance of having my voice be heard about Armenian issues on a bigger scale,” he says.

After graduating next June, he plans to pursue a joint law and public policy degree program in hopes of one day working to develop peace and educational policies through a career in national security law.

“I’m thankful for the incredible experiences I’ve had throughout my UCI career, particularly SAEP which has been the most influential program I’ve participated in,” he says. “Many opportunities were presented to me and they have been contributing to my future endeavors in furthering my educational and career goals.”