This weekend, AUBG alumni returned home. For some, it had been 30 years since graduation; for others, less than a year since they first stepped out into the world after leaving campus.
Sitting on the front lawn, they interlocked eyes with friendly faces, met each other’s families, and created new memories for the years ahead. Everywhere they looked, every pair of eyes they met brought up a cherished memory.
This year’s MegAAA reunion, organized by the AUBG Alumni Association and held as part of the university’s 35th anniversary, brought close to 300 alumni back to Blagoevgrad. From Austria to Moldova, from Ukraine to Turkmenistan, alumni travelled across continents and memories to celebrate their beloved alma mater and reconnect with friends, professors, and the places on campus that hold their past.
“Thirty-five years ago, the world, this region, needed AUBG,” said Provost and Interim President Dr. J.D. Mininger as he opened the university’s MegAAA alumni reunion. “Thirty-five years later, the world still needs AUBG – for the values, for the commitments, for the actions that you all alumni make and take in the world.”
A global community, back where it began
At the heart of the reunion was the sentiment that AUBG is not just a campus, but a growing and supportive community. That sense of deep connection was visible everywhere, from small circle gatherings between classes to conversations between alumni, current students, and staff.
As Valya Nadova (’13), President of the AUBG Alumni Association, explained, the event itself was intentionally designed to reflect that spirit of belonging: “We tried to set it up as a festival, with alumni bands, partners, and friends of AUBG around. Hopefully, this is an event that can bring generations closer together.” And it sure did.
“I am realizing more and more with each day that our community is what makes AUBG special,” she added. “It’s not just the buildings; it’s the people, the community spirit. You always feel welcome.”
Take a piece of AUBG with you
What AUBG does is create stories, not only within the campus boundaries, but far beyond them, for years to come. Each person remains an interconnected part of the university’s story, carrying a piece of it wherever life may take them.
“I expected life to be full of opportunity,” says Ekaterina Mihajlovic (’08), now working as Vice President Commercial Integration & Regional Projects, CEE MENAT at Warner Bros. Discovery in Vienna. “And it turned out even richer and more exciting than I imagined.”
Her husband, Nikola Mihajlovic (’08), also an alumnus, describes the transition simply: “You leave this beautiful bubble, and then reality hits. But AUBG prepares you to find something meaningful.”
That preparation is something recent graduates also feel immediately.
“I thought everyone in my master’s program would be ahead of me,” says Lilia Petrova (’25), former Student Government President at AUBG, now studying at the Diplomatic Academy in Vienna. “But AUBG gave me such a strong base. I felt comfortable right away. It removed the anxiety and let me actually enjoy the experience.”
Others emphasize the resilient mindset it instils in them. “If there’s one thing I learned here, it’s that change is constant,” says Vlad Muntean (’15). “Life took me across countries, and that’s exactly what I expected.”
Celebrating 35 years of impact
The reunion is not necessarily imbued with nostalgia. It’s a moment of celebration of connections and impact. Over the past 35 years, AUBG has built a reputation as a leading liberal arts institution in the region. Apart from the academic excellence, its most meaningful achievement lies in its people.
“I came back recently and realized something,” Emil Hayrumyan (‘25) reflects. “Without the people, the buildings don’t feel the same. It’s always about the people.”
AUBG alumni have gone on to redefine industries, lead organizations, launch ventures, and contribute to their communities in meaningful ways. We often share the stories of those we’re proud of, for example, through our AUBG Alumni Diaries.
Many continue to give back through mentorships and scholarships, helping ensure that the next generation can have the same educational experience. At the reunion, all of these individual journeys, both of alumni and current students, intersected into a collective story.
“Graduating AUBG meant becoming part of this alumni network,” says Maha Afif (‘25). “And now I can see it; it exceeded my expectations.”
