Marine Vardanyan Editor This summer, a group of nine students, led by the faculty of the Armenian Studies Program, travelled 7,024 miles to live two weeks in the ancient land of Armenia. The group, self-dubbed the “Yerevan Eleven,” was the class of Armenian Studies 120 T: Armenia Today. Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian and Prof. Sergio La Porta led nine students, ...

Michael Rettig Staff Writer As the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide approaches in 2015, the Armenian community of Fresno has come together to commemorate this solemn occasion. Although a century has passed since the Genocide took place, it continues to loom large in the Armenian conscious. With this in mind, Fresno’s Armenian community, under the auspices of the Armenian ...

Andrew Esguerra Staff Writer Fresno State welcomed Dr. Joseph I. Castro as its new University President in August of 2013, replacing retiring President Dr. John Welty, who had served for 22 years. Dr. Castro, a native of nearby Hanford, California, sat down with Hye Sharzhoom to discuss the role of the Armenian Studies Program and his reflections on the Armenian ...

Aramayis Orkusyan Staff Writer A haunting chill overtook the audience as the bitter words, written by Vahan Tekeyan three years after the purging of the Armenian people by the Ottoman Turkish Empire, echoed across the auditorium. “Send us to hell. Send us to hell again. You made us know it alas, all too well.” Tekeyan’s words came to life as ...

Staff Report Halfway into the Fall Semester, the Armenian Students Organization has already planned and executed a series of exciting events for the students and community. On Saturday, September 6, ASO members volunteered at the Kev Orkian Comedy Show, benefitting the Keyan Armenian School, assisting with the reception and ushering. ASO celebrated Armenian Independence Day on Monday, September 22, setting ...

Aramayis Orkusyan Staff Writer From Fresno State student to Fresno State professor, Dr. Zhanna Bagdasarov, now an assistant professor of Management, exemplifies what it truly means to be “Bulldog born, Bulldog bred!” “I love Fresno State,” said Dr. Bagdasarov, “I mean I genuinely love Fresno State, I always have, which is why I did my undergraduate degree and my masters ...

Lauren Chardukian Staff Writer Who would imagine that a few years after graduation that they would return to teach the same class they were once enrolled in? Fresno State alumnus Hagop Ohanessian did not. After graduating from Fresno State in Fall 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis in Real Estate and Urban Land Economics, Ohanessian ...

Staff Report Prof. Barlow Der Mugrechian, 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. Lucille Apcar, Mariposa, California, for a variety of Armenian themed books and CDs. Armenian International Women’s Association, Watertown, MA, for ...

Staff Report Friend of the Armenian Studies Program Anne Elizabeth Elbrecht passed away on September 24, 2014. She was born in Philadelphia on July 26, 1940, the first child of William C. Griffith and Alberta McKnight. After completing a degree in library science at UC Berkeley, Anne joined the Peace Corps and worked in Ghana in west Africa. When she ...

Staff Report The Armenian Studies Program has acquired the archives of Gourgen Yanikian, donated by David D. Minier, who was the Santa Barbara prosecutor for the notorious murder case, involving Yanikian and two Turkish diplomats in 1973. Gourgen Yanikian (1895-1984), a Genocide survivor who was born in Erzerum, was a prolific writer and an engineer. He lived for many years ...