SOAR - Idaho Chapter
Idaho became part of the SOAR family in February 2011. Idaho, unlike SOAR’s other Chapters, exists in a considerably smaller Armenian market. Their local Board of Directors brings a heartfelt level of enthusiasm that epitomizes our mission and expectations.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Shushanik Hayriyan
President
Shushanik Hayriyan is originally from Artsakh and is currently a junior at the College of Idaho, majoring in Political Science. As a native of Artsakh and a proud Armenian, preserving our culture and identity has always been of profound importance to her. In the spring of 2024, Shushanik co-founded the Armenian Student Organization (ASO) at the College of Idaho with the goal of sharing Armenia’s rich, centuries-old heritage with our campus and beyond.
Through ASO, they aim to strengthen connections among Armenian students and the wider Armenian community in Idaho, while also creating meaningful events that introduce and celebrate Armenian culture, history, and traditions with our peers.
In addition to her work on campus, Shushanik has been actively involved in Armenian and Artsakh advocacy. She has worked with the Armenian National Committee in Washington, DC, where she took part in advocacy days representing the Armenian-American community of Idaho. During this time, Shushanik met with Idaho policymakers to advocate for policies that support Armenians and raise awareness about the challenges facing Artsakh and Armenia.
Shushanik is honored to join SOAR as the Idaho Chapter President and look forward to serving our global Armenian community in any way she can!