Andrew Hagopian Editor ASO 2019-2020 Executives, left to right: Matthew Mugrdechian, Vice-President; Suzanna Ekmekchyan, President; Andrew Hagopian, Public Affairs; Ariana Garabedian, Treasurer; and Dustin Vartanian, Secretary. Photo: Barlow Der Mugrdechian To kick off the Fall Semester, the Armenian Students Organization (ASO) at Fresno State held its first General Meeting of the semester on Tuesday, September 10, 2019. Five new student ...

Dr. Sergio La Porta. Photo: ASP Archive   Claire Kasaian Staff Writer Haig & Isabel Berberian Professor of Armenian Studies, Dr. Sergio La Porta has accepted a new position, effective August 19, 2019, as Interim Dean of the College of Arts of Humanities for the 2019-2020 academic year.  When asked how he feels about this new position, Dr. La Porta ...

Dustin Vartanian Staff Writer “The Armenian Studies Program is not only an educational center but it is a very strong center that generates Armenian culture, that drives Armenian culture, and that keeps the Armenian community Armenian, here in the San Joaquin Valley and much beyond,” said H.E. Dr. Armen Baibourtian, Consul General of the Republic of Armenia. Dr. Baibourtian was ...

Andrew Hagopian Staff Writer On Saturday, March 30, the Knights of Vartan, Yeprad Lodge and the Daughters of Vartan, Alidz Chapter, held their “Man and Woman of the Year Banquet” honoring Professor Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Berberian Coordinator of the Armenian Studies Program at Fresno State and KSEE 24 News Anchor Stefani Booroojian. More than 200 community guests, including Fresno State ...

Staff Report The Armenian Students Organization Fresno State held an Armenian Genocide Commemorative Event at noon on Wednesday, April 24, at the Fresno State Armenian Genocide Monument.  ASO President Claire Kasaian opened the event with welcoming remarks followed by the singing of the U.S. and Armenian National Anthems by the St. Paul Armenian Church Saturday Schools students.  Fresno State student ...

University Communications Fresno State Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, a veteran academic administrator with extensive ties to the Central Valley, is Fresno State’s new provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, effective July 22, 2019. President Joseph I. Castro announced the appointment on April 5. The provost is the University’s chief academic officer and serves as its leader when the president is ...

Arlen Pilavian Plant Science Minor in Armenian Studies   What encouraged you to take an Armenian Studies course? The rich background and history of the Armenian people. I owed it to my ancestors to complete my cycle of Armenian studies courses after graduating from the Armenian Community School of Fresno. What was your favorite Armenian Studies class, activity, or event? ...

Arshak Abelyan Staff Writer The borders and barriers imposed by empires have created names which have divided the Armenian homeland for centuries. The designation “Armenian Highland” was purged from maps beginning in the 1940’s, and earlier the Armenian Genocide had attempted to completely eliminate the Armenian people. Matthew Karanian wanted to celebrate the history and culture of the Armenians and ...

  David Safrazian Staff Writer Calouste Gulbenkian, “Mr. Five Per Cent” or “The Honest Broker,” became the world’s wealthiest man by negotiating a five percent share of the Turkish Petroleum Company (later the Iraq Petroleum Company). Following the drawing of the famous “Red Line” in 1928, delineating the areas of oil exploration in the Middle East, Gulbenkian became a partner ...

Christine Pambukyan Staff Writer “The denial of the Armenian Genocide began not in the wake of the event but was an intrinsic part of the plan itself,” stated Dr. Taner Akçam, holder of the Kalousdian/Mugar Chair in Armenian Genocide Studies at Clark University. Since the Armenian Genocide took place one hundred and four years ago, in 1915, the Turkish government ...