Stoking the (Olympic and Paralympic) Flames

Few college students can say that Simone Biles, the 11-time Olympic medalist (eight of them gold) widely considered the greatest gymnast of all-time, engaged with a post they shared on Instagram. But Bentley’s Ava Movsessian ’26 can.  

As an intern with Flame Bearers, the first media and production company dedicated to showcasing the stories of women Olympic and Paralympic athletes, Movsessian creates a variety of content that supports the organization’s mission. And a social media post she designed and shared last month — highlighting that the Paris 2024 games are the first Olympics in history to achieve full gender parity, with an equal number of female and male athletes competing — earned Biles’ approval. “It’s amazing to think that my work is reaching some of the most iconic and successful women in sports,” says Movsessian, who is double majoring in Marketing and Creative Industries.

She credits Paul Stanish, associate director of Bentley’s Pulsifer Career Development Center, with helping her land the internship with Flame Bearers, which she characterizes as “the opportunity of a lifetime.” Since the company is a small start-up, “I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with our CEO and founder, Jamie Mittelman, and gain insight into every aspect of the business,” Movsessian explains.

While her typical workday consists of researching athletes, generating content ideas and then bringing those ideas to life, Movsessian has also had the opportunity to interview elite female athletes — including U.S. foil fencer Jackie Dubrovich, who won a gold medal in the team event in Paris — for the “Flame Bearers: Pathways to Paris” podcast. Through candid and wide-ranging conversations with sportswomen from around the globe, the series provides a conduit for exploring larger social issues like disability bias, gender stereotypes, mental health and pay equity.  

Despite a recent uptick in coverage of women’s events, sports media continues to prioritize male athletes. But Flame Bearers — and Movsessian — are hoping to change that by focusing attention on the achievements and experiences of female athletes. “There is so much we can learn from these women, and their stories deserve to be elevated,” she says. “By sharing their stories of resilience and determination, these women can inspire and empower future generations to tap into their own inner Olympian or Paralympian.”

For Movsessian, connecting with air pistol shooter Elmira Karapetyan — the first woman to represent Team Armenia in the Olympic Torch Relay — proved especially meaningful. “I am proud to be 100% Armenian, and my culture is a very big part of my life,” she explains. “Growing up, I was very involved in sports, but I never had Armenian role models to look up to. So having her like and share my work on her Instagram account was not only a big win for me, personally, but for every other Armenian who’s wanted to see our cultural community represented on a global stage.”  

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Flame Bearers I Media Co. Focused on Women OLY/PLY (@flamebearers)

Movsessian is equally proud to be a member of the Falcon family. “Bentley was always my number one school,” she says. “From smaller class sizes that allow for genuine connections with professors and peers to diverse and active campus groups like the Armenian Student Assocation, Bentley had everything I was looking for.” As someone who’s always been drawn to creative pursuits, Movsessian was thrilled to discover the university’s Creative Industries major, which includes courses in visual communication, video production, experience design (XD) and public relations.  

“I didn’t think it was possible to simultaneously study business and nurture my creative side, so learning about Creative Industries made me the happiest girl ever,” she explains. “Pairing it with a more established industry major like Marketing will give me a competitive advantage over other candidates when I pursue my goal of a creative career in entertainment, film, fashion or sports marketing.”

Not that Movsessian is in any rush to graduate: “I've already had some of the best times of my life here at Bentley, and I’m looking forward to what the next two years will bring.” In a few weeks, she’ll welcome new students to campus as an Orientation Leader and resume her role as an executive board member of Project Creative Industries, a student-led organization that brings together artists and entrepreneurs to celebrate and nurture their creative talents. And in the spring, she’ll spend a semester abroad at the Lorenzo di Medici Institute in Florence, Italy. Throughout, Movsessian plans to continue producing content for Flame Bearers.

Her academic courses and extracurricular activities will keep her busy, but Movsessian wouldn’t have it any other way. After all, she says, “The incredible women I’ve met through my work at Flame Bearers have shown me that, through hard work and determination, anything is possible.”