Cisco System's development director donates $1 million to American University of Armenia

YEREVAN, April 18. / ARKA /. Mario Mazzola, Cisco System's development director, will donate $1 million to the American University of Armenia (AUA) to pay as scholarships to needy students, head of Viasphere International Tony Moroyan said today.

Mario Mazzola was the fifth foreigner to receive the Global IT Award, handed by Armenian president in recognition of his outstanding contribution to IT development.  

The annual IT Award was instituted in Armenia in 2009 and its first recipient the following year was Craig Barrett, a former chairman and chief executive of Intel Corporation. 

One of the goals of the award is to encourage contact between some of the leading IT personalities of the world and the industry in Armenia.  Other recipients of the award are former Executive Director General of Intel Corporation, Chairman of the Board Craig R. Barrett, co-founder of the Apple Computer Corporation Steve Wozniak, Chairman Emeritus of Synaptics Company Federico Faggin and former CEO of Hitachi Company Tsugio Makimoto.

AUA rector Armen Ter-Kyureghyan said some 20 students will be receiving annual scholarships.-0-