Armen Akopyan
AAMN 2021 Board Member Candidate
My vision for AAMN
Ten years ago, as an immigrant from a country where the nursing profession is woefully undervalued, I could not even imagine that a male could be a nurse. Things are very different here and now, but there is still much to be done in order to solidify the perception of nursing as a viable professional choice for a man.
My main goal in joining AAMN is to bring more awareness about men in nursing, especially among our new generation that is starting to look for career options. My experience with Men in Nursing at UCLA showed me how much can be achieved by leveraging the power of social media in support of a strong message and a solid outreach plan. I will draw on this experience to amplify AAMN’s message, and I am confident that I can make a substantial contribution to AAMN’s mission to support, encourage and advocate for men in nursing.
About Me
I was born in Moscow, and had a previous life as a professional athlete and dancer, successfully representing the Russian Federation in European and World Championships of Acrobatic Rock-n-Roll, and after that dancing professionally in a variety of venues, from TV shows to the theater and pop music shows and videos.
Upon arriving in the United States in 2012, I decided on a career transition. Without speaking the language as I attended community college, and after years of great sacrifice, I completed my prerequisites at Los Angeles Community College, and in 2018 was admitted to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at the University of California, Los Angeles, where I am graduating in June 2021.
Men in Nursing
at UCLA -
President 2019-2021
My involvement with AAMN started in 2019, after assuming the leadership of Men in Nursing at UCLA, which at that time was inactive and had no membership. I quickly put together a board and we started working relentlessly to recruit members and bring visibility to our chapter. As I get near the end of my term, I am proud to say that our efforts have been remarkably successful, having become one of the most active and recognized student organizations at UCLA School of Nursing. This level of recognition is based on three pillars: a very active involvement with school, outreach and volunteer efforts that bring great visibility to our chapter; a well-planned calendar of educational and social events that positions us as a leading student organization; and a very active social media presence that amplifies our message. Under my leadership, our UCLA chapter was recognized by AAMN as Chapter of the Year 2020.
Men in Nursing at UCLA Achievements
Membership
Membership increased from 0 to 80 since 2019.
Social Media
Instagram followers increased to 408 since opening the account in Fall 2019.
Volunteering
Developed a strong relationship with Venice Family Clinic where all UCLA School of Nursing students are able to volunteer at their COVID-19 clinic.
FutuRN
Conducted FutuRN presentations to about 350 students ranging from freshmen to seniors during Fall 2019-Winter 2020.
Recognition
• Men in Nursing at UCLA
Chapter of the Year 2020
• Armen Akopyan
Outstanding Student 2020
