News

Careen Derkalousdian Staff Writer “The 50th anniversary of the Armenian Students Organization is a significant milestone,” said Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian. “We are recognizing the efforts and dedication of hundreds of members who have served in the organization over the last fifty years.” On Saturday, May 4, 2024, the Armenian Students Organization (ASO) celebrated its 50th anniversary at the Holy ...

Staff Report On Friday, September 20th, the members of the Armenian Students Organization (ASO) celebrated Armenian Independence Day near the Fresno State Library. On September 21, 1991, the modern Republic of Armenia declared its independence from the former Soviet Union. With live music and traditional dancing, they showcased Armenian culture to the campus community. Students passing by paused to observe, ...

Natalie Agazarian Editor The Armenian Studies Program is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. David Zakarian as the Haig and Isabel Berberian Professor of Armenian Studies. Born in Armenia, Dr. Zakarian resided there for nineteen years before pursuing a degree at Aristotle University in Thessaloniki. After spending a decade in Greece, he dedicated the next fourteen years of his ...

Ani Sargsyan Staff Writer “New families came into being, and a stable foundation was established for future generations…” narrates Gov. George Deukmejian in the film “Strangers in a Promised Land.” On Friday, September 20, the Armenian Studies Program screened the remastered “Strangers in a Promised Land,” directed by J. Michael Hagopian and produced in 1982. Following the screening, Dr. Carla ...

Lori Agazarian Staff Writer Ken Khachigian, author of Behind Closed Doors: In the Room with Reagan & Nixon, spoke to a large audience at Fresno State on Thursday, September 5, 2024. Khachigian recounted his experiences at the White House and his personal relationships with former presidents Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon. Veteran journalist Jim Boren conducted an interview style presentation ...

Staff Report The Bertha and John Garabedian Foundation has made a generous donation of $10,000 to the Armenian Studies Program for 2024. Together with previous year’s donations, the Foundation has awarded nearly $175,000 in grants to the Armenian Studies Program. The gift will be used for a variety of activities, including outreach activities and awarding scholarships to students enrolled in ...

Staff Report Mr. Dean Shahinian has made a generous donation to the Armenian Studies Program in support of the Program’s activities. Mr. Shahinian recently supported the establishment of the Grace and Paul Shahinian Armenian Christian Art Lecture Series at Fresno State.

Lori Agazarian Staff Writer Fresno State’s Armenian Studies Program welcomed Ambassador Erin McKee to campus on Thursday, August 29, 2024 to speak about the USAID (United States Agency for International Development) and its activities in Armenia today. The USAID is an independent agency that focuses on international development and aid and was founded by John F. Kennedy in 1961. McKee ...

Rachel Yepremian Staff Writer On Friday, September 27, Dr. Simon Maghakyan, Kazan Visiting Professor in Armenian Studies, held the first of his three-part lecture series entitled, “The Past of the Past: Armenian Heritage in Ottoman and Republican Turkey.” The Kazan Visiting Professorship was established in 2001 through an endowment by Henry Khanzadian Kazan and the first visiting professor was Dr. ...

Staff Report Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian met with U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Kristina A. Kvien on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. Prof. Der Mugrdechian was in Yerevan to participate in the International Armenological Congress, organized by the Matenadaran. Amb. Kvien began her service in Armenia in February, 2023, as the tenth U.S. Ambassador to Armenia. In a Fresno connection, Ambassador Kvien ...