Since she was a child, Hripsime Papoyan, 24, has loved the sciences. Growing up in Gyumri, as the daughter of an engineer and a physics teacher, Hripsime was inspired by her parents’ example. When at 14, her mother passed away, leaving she and her brother Hakob to help support their father, Hripsime stayed focused on her future.
Her passion led her to apply to the State Engineering Institute of Armenia’s Gyumri campus (also known as Yerevan Polytechnic University). In 2007, she graduated from the Department of Artistic Design and Light Industry Production and immediately applied to FAR’s Gyumri Information Technology Center (GTech), where she aimed to focus on computer programming.
“GTech was the chance for me to really narrow my studies and focus on the specialty I’d developed a strong interest in during my university years. It also gave me the chance to gain the practical skills I needed,” Hripsime said.
After studying for two years in GTech’s Web Technology Department, Hripsime was offered a job as FAR's web programmer, working with many colleagues out of GTech's offices in Gyumri. “For me, GTech is my second home,” she confessed. “It is not only a nice work environment, but also inspires a certain closeness and camaraderie with my co-workers.”
Recently, Gyumri Day was held in her home city. Hripsime participated in all events, of course. “I love Gyumri and not because it’s my birthplace; it has also enabled me to fulfill my dreams. Furthermore, we Gyumretzi are responsible for our city’s future, as are all Armenians. It is true that Gyumri is still considered a city for the arts, however, I see technological development occupying an integral part of Gyumri’s future.”
Hripsime, of course, intends to be a part of this future. She also has her own formula for reaching her goals: “We should always look for the opportunities life offers us and never hesitate to seize them in time.”