The Lifelong Friendship Behind Astonishing $100 Million Gift to BU’s Medical School

Dr. Chobanian and Mr. Avedisian at the Slone House ceremony smiling at one another — Chobanian and Avedisian at the Sloane House ceremony on August 15. Photo by Dave Green

Two Armenian families finding freedom in America.

Two boys growing up poor a few doors apart in hardscrabble Pawtucket, R.I.

Two successful men—one a renowned cardiologist and former president of Boston University, the other a celebrated clarinetist for the Boston Pops—changing the course of Boston University history.

Lifelong friends Aram V. Chobanian (Hon.’06) and Edward Avedisian (CFA’59,’61) will now be connected forever as the namesakes of BU’s medical school. Thanks to a $100 million gift from Avedisian that will support scholarships, endowed faculty chairs, and cutting-edge research and teaching, the school is being renamed the Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine.

Read the entire BU Today story by Joel Brown