Hye Sharzhoom Armenian Action
Hakop Tataryan
Editor
Ambitious Fresno State students who are taking Armenian Studies courses have something to look forward to in the Fall of 2005. An Honors Program has been approved for students taking upper division classes in the Armenian Studies Program. The Honors Program will also offer numerous benefits to its participants.
All students who apply to the Armenian Studies Honors Program, must have Junior standing (60 units) with at least a 3.5 GPA in Armenian Studies courses, a cumulative GPA of 3.4, and must have completed at least four Armenian Studies classes.
Along with the Armenian Studies classes, students must participate in the Smittcamp Family Honors Colloquium (a weekly two-hour meeting for all honors students) as long as they are in the Armenian Studies Honors Program. The colloquium will cover an array of topics regarded as higher learning – including: public policy, current affairs, and contemporary society.
To encourage community involvement and offer a greater experience, the Program requires its students to complete twenty hours of community service each semester. Opportunities are available for Armenian Studies-oriented service in the various programs available on campus: Hye Sharzhoom, “Hye Oozh Radio,” and “All Things Armenian.”
In the last semester of the program students in the Honors Program will be researching a topic of choice under the supervision of a faculty member. The topic can be in various areas of study such as language, history, architecture, or art. At the end of the semester, students would be ready to present their research findings and be prepared to submit their thesis to be published.
The rigor of the program is obvious, but the rewards are many. Those students brave enough, as well as competent enough, to be admitted to the Program will have full registration fees paid for up to two years.
They will receive honors medallions upon graduation, and Honors recognition on their diploma. Perhaps the most important attribute of any Honors Program is the preparation it provides for Masters and PhD programs. Inevitably, by completing the Program, students will have ascertained exceptional research, writing, and analytical skills, making them better candidates for postgraduate aspirations.
“With an Honors Program in Armenian Studies, Fresno State students who seek a minor in Armenian Studies and complete the honors program will be among a very small elite group at Fresno State who benefit from the highest academic standards the University is able to offer its undergraduates. The Armenian Studies Honors Program will provide students with a degree that will immediately reflect excellence in scholarship and learning, a valuable asset for any career,” said Dr. Dickran Kouymjian, Director of the Armenian Studies Program at Fresno State.
This is such a great opportunity for students to develop new skills and get prepared for postgraduate studies. As fees keeps increasing and with books costing an arm and a leg, the monetary incentive the program offers could not have come at a better time. Information on the Program will be available during the Spring 2005 semester by calling 559-278-2669.
Only four students will be admitted each year, so apply fast!