Staff Report The rapidly diminishing Armenian Christian community of Syria, and the still strong Armenian community of Lebanon was the focus of a lecture, “Armenians in the Midst of Civil Wars: Lebanonaand Syria Compared,” by Dr. Ara Sanjian, Director of the Armenian Research Center at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, on Tuesday, December 2, 2014. The lecture was part of the ...

Aramayis Orkusyan Staff Writer Each year on April 24, Armenians around the world commemorate the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide. This year, however, marks a symbolic cornerstone for the Armenian people as they prepare to commemorate the 100th anniversary of what has been called “The first modern genocide of the 20th century.” Many events are taking place ...

Staff Report The Society for Armenian Studies (SAS) celebrated its 40th anniversary at its Annual Membership meeting held in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, November 22. A new Executive Council was elected with Barlow Der Mugrdechian (California State University-Fresno) chosen as the new SAS President. Also elected were Vice President Bedross Der Matossian (University of Nebraska-Lincoln); Secretary Lilit Keshishyan (UCLA); Treasurer ...

Marine Vardanyan Editor 2015 marks the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Why should you care? According to Dr. Sergio La Porta, Berberian Professor of Armenian Studies at Fresno State, the Armenian Genocide “is very much tied up with who we are today and the whole notion of modernity.” On Thursday, February 26, Dr. La Porta explored the role of ...

Lauren Chardukian Staff Writer This semester, the Armenian Studies Program welcomed Dr. Myrna Douzjian as the 11th Kazan Visiting Professor in Armenian Studies at Fresno State. As part of her responsibilities as Visiting Professor, Dr. Douzjian will be giving a series of lectures about her area of expertise, “The Armenian Genocide in Film.” The first of her three-part series, titled ...

Staff Report Armenian Studies Program Coordinator Barlow Der Mugrdechian announced a gift of $100,000 from the estate of the late Evelyn Sahroian Tregoning that will establish the Tregoning Endowment in Armenian Studies. Evelyn Sahroian Tregoning was born on September 30, 1923 and passed away on June 1, 2014. She was born to an Armenian immigrant family in the farming area ...

Staff Report Armenian Studies Program Coordinator Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian announced that the Leon S. Peters Foundation has made a generous donation of $30,000 to the Armenian Studies Program at Fresno State for 2015. This continues the tradition of the Peters Foundation in supporting the Armenian Studies Program Annual Lecture Series, as well as a variety of other activities, including ...

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. Jacqueline Agazarian, Fresno, for copies of the journal Raft and Armenian books. Edward Ashjian, Fresno, for a DVD and photos of the ...

Micheal Rettig Staff Writer It has been difficult for historians to reconstruct the daily lives of Armenians prior to the Genocide. Those who lived before 1915 could not conceive that their entire way of life was on the brink of extinction. Many of them felt no need to document their day-to-day lives, most likely imagining that they would go on ...

Staff Report Armenian Studies Program Coordinator Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian announced that the Bertha and John Garabedian Foundation has made a generous donation of $11,000 to the Armenian Studies Program for 2015. This brings the total donations from the Foundation to the Armenian Studies Program to over $100,000. The gift will be used for a variety of activities, including outreach ...