It all started with a message from Maria Petrova to the Georgian alumni Facebook group.
On March 26, 2025, Maria Petrova, Regional Markets International Manager at AUBG, posted the names of the exceptional accepted students from Georgia for that year. Among them was Nikoloz, a student with an unwavering desire to study at AUBG, who also faced financial challenges.
What followed was the collective effort of the extended AUBG community to empower one of the most cherished things in the world – education.
A grassroots effort
That message was enough to provoke Georgian alumnus Luka Gotsiridze (‘20) to take action. He messaged Natia Nanava, an AUBG university counselor in Georgia, who helped facilitate the initiative. “I initially reached out to Natia because I wanted to contribute financially as a one-time thing,” he recalls. “But very quickly, we realized that others had also contacted her and wanted to help.”
Together with Natia Nanava and a small group of alumni, Luka began brainstorming ways to create an educational opportunity for Nikoloz beyond individual, one-off donations.
“Everything we did was very grassroots, and that’s also the beauty of it,” shares Luka. “There was no system or structure behind us.”
They were doing everything together, from writing the copy and creating the flyer to filling in an Excel sheet with all the potential alumni and stakeholders they knew.
The power of collective action
On May 3 2025, the group launched their first public call for support. Within a week, they had raised over €6,000.
“That was a huge source of enthusiasm for all of us, because we did not expect such an outpouring of support,” shares Luka. “This was truly a community coming together for education, investing in education across borders and nationalities. That was something remarkable and extraordinary,” he adds.
By the end of the campaign, more than 35 donors, including alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of AUBG from around the world, had contributed between €7,000 and €8,000. The funds made it possible for incoming student Nikoloz to enrol, and he accepted his offer by mid-July.
“It can be freely said that the support of the AUBG Georgian alumni network greatly influenced my life, because it allowed me to open the door of endless opportunities here at AUBG,” shares Nikoloz.
Today, Nikoloz remains in close contact with members of the alumni network, who continue to support him both at AUBG, as well as sharing advice and opportunities for Work and Travel placements.
“This type of alumni support system was not in place when I was studying at AUBG,” admits Luka. “I think everybody would have loved it if there was such backbone, almost like a spine behind an individual, knowing that you’re not going there alone.”
As a continuation, Luka and the team are negotiating how they can turn this into a long-term support system for other Georgian students. “We want to create something coordinated, systematic, almost like an organization.”
Aleksandre Metreveli (’09), who was also integral to navigating the scholarship, echoed this sentiment:
“The fundraising initiative for Nikoloz was deeply meaningful and emotional. I hope it serves as a foundation for building more sustainable alumni engagement, especially in supporting student tuition scholarships.”
Giving back and forward
For many involved, the motivation was deeply personal. “Having been a scholarship student myself, I feel a strong personal connection to this cause,” shared Aleksandre Metreveli.
Like Luka and Aleksandre, other members of the organizing team have also had their journeys supported by others.
“I attended AUBG thanks to the generosity of its donors,” says Jaba Shalamberidze (’12). This inspired him to give back to the community, both through his role in the Student Government and later as an engaged alumnus. “This time around, giving forward to support Nikoloz’s journey has been an honor and a privilege,” he added.
For Ariadna Zoidze (’21), the experience felt like closing a circle that once began with the support and guidance given to her.
“I hope this is just the beginning of a wider effort to open more doors for Georgian students regardless of their background,” she shared.
A model for what comes next
What began as a one-time effort is now evolving into something more. The group, composed of Natia Nanava, Maria Petrova, and alumni including Aleksandre Metreveli (’09), Jaba Shalamberidze (’12), Ketevan Chincharadze (’19), Ariadna Zoidze (’21), Luka Gotsiridze (’20), and Tereza Gordeladze (’20), is actively exploring how to turn this into a long-term initiative. “This was a pilot,” Luka says. “A proof of concept.” The goal is to create a more sustainable framework that can support future students from Georgia.
