When student returns to university as partner: YSU alumnus Levon Azizyan's professional journey

In an interview with us, Levon Azizyan reflects on memories from his student years, the changing professional landscape, the role of young specialists, the responsibility of alumni and the values formed during his university years that continue to guide him today.

– Mr. Azizyan, why did you choose hydrometeorology, and why did you choose YSU for your professional education?

– Since my school years, I have always been interested in nature — not only as something beautiful, but also as a complex system. When there was a thunderstorm or heavy rain, I was interested not simply in what was happening, but why. At the time, as today, YSU was one of the best places to find answers to those questions. Hydrometeorology is also a field through which science is directly connected with people's lives.

– Which memories from your student years have stayed with you throughout your life?

– What I remember most is the energy that filled the university. We did not just study; we organized, initiated, debated, discussed and dreamed. I served as president of the Faculty Student Council for three years, and those years were especially important because it was there that I first understood what it meant to represent students' interests and to be responsible not only for yourself, but also for others.

– If you had the opportunity to return to your student years...

– I would probably devote more time to international programs and the advanced study of foreign languages. Overall, my student years were a period not only of professional development, but also of personal growth.

– What advice would you give to today's YSU students?

– Do not limit yourselves to the classroom. University is much more than the courses on your schedule. Take part in programs, initiatives and research, and try yourselves in different fields. You never know at what point in life a particular experience may prove decisive.

Young people are not the future of our field; they are already its present. Many ideas, digital solutions and new approaches come directly from young professionals. Today, a successful specialist needs to combine knowledge of the natural sciences, information technology and analytical thinking. The university can accelerate this process by creating a closer connection between education and real-world work. 

– What does maintaining that connection with the university feel like years later?

– There is something special about returning to the university years later, already as a partner. I once studied here, and today I try to contribute to the university's development. It is at the same time a responsibility and a great honor.

– Mr. Azizyan, for many people, university is not only a place to gain professional knowledge, but also an environment that shapes ways of thinking, values and leadership skills. What role has your YSU education played in your professional journey and later in establishing yourself as a leader?

– YSU gave me not only a professional foundation, but also a worldview. Here, I learned to make evidence-based decisions, listen to different opinions and not be afraid of responsibility. Today, as I lead an organization whose work is connected with people's safety, water resources and climate risks, I use the knowledge and skills I gained at university every day.

– In your opinion, what skills and values should a university foster?

– Knowledge is important, but it quickly becomes outdated. Far more important is learning how to learn. A university should develop responsible, proactive and critical-thinking professionals who are ready to continue developing and adapt quickly to new conditions in a changing world.

– You recently received the YSU Alumni Excellence Award for your active participation in the university's development. What does this award mean to you?

– Any recognition is gratifying, but recognition from your alma mater has a special value. It reminds you where your journey began and how important it is not to lose that connection over the years. This award also comes with a responsibility to continue supporting the university's development and the advancement of young professionals.

– Why is it important for you to maintain a lasting connection with your alma mater?

– After graduating from university, you stop being a student, but you never stop being an alumnus. The university has contributed to each of our successes, and it is only natural to maintain that connection.

– In your view, what role can alumni play in the university's development?

– Alumni are the university's best "ambassadors." They can share their experience, support young people, bring in new partners and strengthen the ties connecting the university with society and the labor market.

– Turning briefly to your professional field, hydrometeorology, how has the field changed over the course of your career, and what new technologies and approaches play an important role in its development today? 

– Over the past decade, the field has changed more rapidly than it did over the previous several decades. Whereas forecasts once relied heavily on observations, modern hydrometeorology is now impossible to imagine without satellite data, supercomputers, artificial intelligence and big data analytics. Technology, however, will never replace the specialist; it is simply a more powerful tool in their hands.

Blitz questions with Levon Azizyan

– YSU in three words.

– Knowledge, development, security.

– Your student years in one word.

– Unforgettable.

– Your favorite place at YSU.

– The library.

– A lecturer whose advice you still remember.

– Boris Mnatsakanyan.

– Which subject was the greatest challenge for you?

– Higher Mathematics.

– If you had not chosen your current profession, which field would you have chosen?

– Definitely medicine.

– A book you would recommend to every student.

– Yes to Life, Viktor Frankl.

– Which quality has helped you most on your path to success?

– Hard work.

– One word that describes a good professional.

– Responsible.

– One word that describes a good leader.

– Unifying.