By Barlow Der Mugrdechian Advisor A recent offer by the Turkish government to set up an endowed Chair in Ottoman and Turkish History at UCLA has engendered a firestorm of controversy.  The proposed $1,000,000 donation would establish an endowed Chair in an area of study which has already caused much debate over the past twenty years at UCLA, most notably ...

By Jennifer Keledjian Staff Writer On September 6, 1997, Californiaís oldest Armenian Church celebrated itís 100th Anniversary.  The centennial celebration for First Armenian Presbyterian Church of Fresno (F.A.P.C.) was held at the Centre Plaza Holiday Inn. Almost 1000 individuals within California and throughout scattered parts of the nation, gathered in unity, to commemorate this historic event. The prepared program included ...

By Michael Kazarian As an assignment for Armenian Studies 120T-Armenian Cooking Most people in the world, who have been exposed to an Armenian community or are themselves Armenian, know that food is a very central part of the Armenian culture and tradition.  My family is typical of the ìtraditionalî Armenian family whose home life revolves around foodóthe preparation of food, ...

Matthew Maroot Staff Writer Yalanchi, Kufta, Paklava… as Armenians we are all familiar with these culinary delights, however, not too many college students spend as much time preparing these dishes as they do enjoying them. But this was not the case on the weekend of October 17th and 18th, 1997 as a group of 20 students gathered to take part ...

By Sosi Thomassian Staff Writer Levon Shahnazarian doesn’t accurately remember his date of birth, but believes that it was on June 30, 1913.  He was born in Erzerum, in Western Armenia, the son of Serpouhi and Khatcho.  My grandfather  had two sisters and a brother.  Even though he doesnít remember much about his family, he will never forget the day ...

Michael Harutinian Staff Writer My great-grandfather Karekin was born in 1875 in Erzurum, the ancient capital of Armenia as well as the capital city of the province of Erzurum.  It is a city which has been renamed throughout  the centuries as Garin. Karekin’s grandfather was born in Kghi, one of the most distinguished districts in the province of Erzurum.  In ...

Matthew Maroot Staff Writer “As Armenians, whether we like it or not, if we donít pursue this [the true history of the Armenians] the American Government certainly wonít and the Turkish Government will write something counter-factual about it and we will be erased from history.  History does not write itself.” In this, the third lecture in the Armenian Studies Program’s ...

By Talin Mekhitarian Staff Writer Michael Krekorianís life has been filled with success, especially at times when he is underestimated.  While having many interests, it has been difficult for him to decide on which to follow.  Born in Culver City, California, he grew up a young Armenian trying to learn more about his heritage.  After high school he attended California ...

Staff Report M. Victoria Karagozian Kazan died October 25, 1997, at St. Francis Hospital in Roslyn, New York.  She was 86.  With her husband, Henry S. Kazan, Mrs. Kazan established major funding for the study of Armenian history and culture at California State University, Fresno.  Mrs. Kazan was born November 28, 1910, in New York City and moved to Portland, ...

By Barlow Der Mugrdechian Advisor A group of ten teachers and administrators from Gyumri, Armenia were in Fresno for a two and a half week training and observation program, which was funded by the United States Information Agency and managed by California State University, Fresno. Dr. Bill Mallios of the Information Systems and Decision Sciences Department was the director of ...