Hye Sharzhoom Armenian Action
By Sevag Tateosian
Staff Writer
There has been an Armenian Students Organization in existence at California State University, Fresno for more than 30 years. Year after year the ASO provides students with a place to meet one another and to spend time doing fun and stress-relieving activities.
A new executive board welcomes the 2001 spring semester. The group is lead by President Michael Harutinian, an Ag. Business major, who says “This semester will be like none before. We have a strong executive that is focused to make this semester full of fun events that will make the members talk for years to come.”
Alongside Harutinian, are Vice President Sevag Tateosian, Treasurer Barbara Harutinian, Secretary Talar Atarian and Sergeant at Arms Tim Kuckenbaker. These five students work hand and hand to make the club all it can be. The club meets twice a month and along with discussing up-coming events for the semester ahead, they talk about current issues concerning Armenians.
Today, the club has more than 50 members, including two foreign exchange students that are here from Armenia studying Agriculture. Members of the club are also involved in many other activities, for example, student government at Fresno State. They also help out with the Hye Sharzhoom.
New members are always welcome. The club tries to plan events to fit around the schedule of the busiest people.
The first event that the Armenian Students Organization co-sponsored was the Ara Sarafian lecture on February 20th. Ara Sarafian, who is the co-editor of Armenian Forum and co-founder of the Gomidas Institute spoke on “Britain and the Armenian Genocide.” Sarafian did an excellent job speaking and presenting Britain’s point of view on the Genocide. The event was a success as almost every seat in the Alice Peter’s Auditorium was full. After the lecture the members of the Armenian Students Organization accompanied him to dinner at a local restaurant.
What has all the members of the organization excited is the up-coming “mystery trip” at the end of March. The ASO Executive is planning an over-night “mystery trip” outside of Fresno. The only people who know the destination of this trip are the five members of the executive board and they are keeping all information about the trip top secret. Since the students have the Friday off, they will be departing in the afternoon and returning the following day. While the students are at this “mystery” destination, they will have a full Armenian shish-kebab dinner and dance to Armenian music. The trip promises excitement, fun, and friendship for all who attend. A similar trip was done three years ago and the students loved it.
Throughout the course of the semester the club will be involved in many different events that are going to be both on and off the campus. To conclude a great semester many of the members will be taking part in a trip to Armenia that will be taking place in June. On June first the students will be leaving for Paris where they will stay two nights. From Paris they will be going to Yerevan, Armenia and will be there for seventeen days touring the country first hand.
As you can see the members of the Organization will have their hands full with all the fun events that will be taking place this semester. If you would like more information on the club or any of the events taking place feel free to contact the Armenian Studies Program at Fresno State.