News

Marine Vardanyan Special to Hye Sharzhoom For more than 40 years, Armenian-American students have gone through Fresno State’s Armenian Studies Program, enrolling in courses, participating in activities, and building relationships with professors and peers. Since its inception, more than 12,000 students have taken courses offered by the ASP and more than 130 students have graduated with a Minor. Many alumni ...

Arshak Abelyan Staff Writer The perspectives of two artists on war and violence are expressed in the works of Armenian artists Varaz Samuelian and Henrik Abedian, who are featured in an exhibition on “The Business of Regret: War, Chaos, and the Rejection of Violence.” The exhibition is a collaboration between the Center for Creativity and the Arts (CCA), the Armenian ...

Dustin Vartanian Staff Writer What is an Armenian? Why did Armenians choose Fresno as one of their early destinations? How did they get here? These were some of the questions posed during the “Armenians in Fresno” weekend course taught by Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian of the Armenian Studies Program. This Armenian Studies course was a rare opportunity to learn about ...

Staff Report The Society for Armenian Studies held an Armenian Studies Chairs and Directors Workshop on the campus of the University of California, Irvine, on Saturday, September 29. Armenian Studies Program Directors and holders of endowed Chairs in Armenian Studies from across the nation met to discuss a variety of issues and challenges facing the field. The workshop was co-organized ...

Staff Report The Saroyan House Museum was inaugurated on Friday, August 31, with a festive ribbon-cutting ceremony and the unveiling of a Saroyan plaque on his former home at 2729 West Griffith Way.  The ceremony, which took place immediately before the celebration at the Satellite Student Union at Fresno State, culminated more than two years of planning and construction, which ...

Suzanna Ekmekchyan  Staff Writer The Armenian Student Organization (ASO) started its year off with elections for a new executive at the first general meeting of the year which took place on Tuesday, September 4. Elected were Claire Kasaian, President; David Safrazian, Vice-President; Kara Statler, Treasurer; Suzanna Ekmekchyan, Secretary; and Violeta Aghabekyan, Public Relations. New and continuing members of ASO came ...

Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Prof. Sergio La Porta, and the Armenian Studies Program would like to thank the donors, authors, and publishers for the following books, periodicals, videos, and archival gifts, either offered personally, or to the Program.  Hambersom Aghbashian, Glendale, California, for a copy of his new book Turkish Intellectuals Who have Recognized the Reality of the Armenian Genocide ...

Annie Rubio Editor Throughout the deportations and mass atrocities committed during the Armenian Genocide, one member of the Turkish government appeared as a source of hope and benevolence. Cemal Pasha, governor of Adana and Greater Syria, was said to have lenient policies regarding Armenians, going insofar as to face off with the other member of the Committee of Union and ...

Annie Rubio Editor William Saroyan is a name many consider synonymous with Fresno, California. He was a beloved writer, whose voice united Armenians across the globe and whose works have brought recognition and pride to the Armenian community.  On Friday, August 31, on what would have been Saroyan’s 110th birthday, a celebration was held to mark the opening of the ...

Claire Kasaian Staff Writer Dr. Ümit Kurt was appointed as the 15th Kazan Visiting Professor in Armenian Studies for the Fall 2018 semester at Fresno State. Dr. Kurt was previously at Fresno State in the 2015-2016 academic year as a Kazan Research Associate. As part of his duties this Fall, Dr. Kurt is teaching an Armenian Studies class, “The Armenian ...