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Anahid ValenciaStaff Writer The Armenian Studies Pro-gram partnered with the Fresno State CineCulture program on Friday, Oct. 24, for the screening of “Armenians in Film: 6 Short Films by Armenian Filmmakers.” A Q&A with directors followed the screening. The event was sponsored by the Armenian Studies Program, the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) Greater Fresno Chapter and the New York-based ...

Katherine ArslanianStaff Writer The Armenian Student Organization (ASO) at Fresno State closed out a busy and eventful Fall 2025 semester, hosting a series of gatherings that highlighted student involvement, cultural exchange, and community presence on campus. From seasonal celebrations to multi-organization collaborations, ASO’s fall semester was busy but meaningful. The semester began with ASO’s annual Halloween Party on October 23, ...

Katherine ArslanianStaff Writer The Armenian Student Organization (ASO) at Fresno State held an engaging cultural presentation, led by ASO President Grigor Terpogosyan and Vice President Anahid Valencia, on Wednesday, Nov. 19, as part of Fresno State’s “International Coffee Hour.” The goal of the presentation was to introduce students, faculty, and staff at Fresno State to the richness of Armenian history, ...

Syuzanna KovalenkoStaff Writer Many generations ago, Armenians utilized curses for what they believed was necessary in order to protect their sacred manuscripts. Dr. David Zakarian, Haig and Isabel Berberian Professor of Armenian Studies at Fresno State, gave a lecture on “Medieval Book Curses: How Armenians Guarded Their Manuscripts,” on Friday, Nov. 7. He explained the different ways Armenians guarded their ...

The Armenian Genocide posters were mounted in the Fresno State Library after initially being rejected. Sosse Baloian YanezSpecial to Hye Sharzhoom In 2015, Fresno State became the first university to erect a monument commemorating the Armenian Genocide on a college campus in the United States. In 1986, however, the realization of such a memorial would have seemed like a distant ...

Katherine ArslanianStaff Writer On Friday, November 14, 2025, the Armenian Studies Pro-gram, hosted a lecture by Kevork Oflazian, a Fresno State graduate, entitled “Homeland vs. Home: When a Call to Return to the Homeland is Not Answered.” The lecture examined the experiences of the Musa Dagh Armenians in Anjar, Lebanon, during the repatriation period of 1946–1948, exploring why some diaspora ...

Left to right: Linda Shekerjian, Sylva Guluzian, Dr. David Zakarian, Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Tatevik Hovhannisyan, and Chuck Jamgotchian. Photo: Natalie Agazarian Natalie AgazarianEditor “First you treat it as a game, then you enter a whole new world,” said chess player and enthusiast Dr. David Zakarian. On Sunday, October 12, the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) Fresno Chapter, in partnership ...

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. His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Antelias, Lebanon, for two books: 30 Years of Pontifical Ministry: A Mission of Faith and Service to the Church and the People (1995-2025) (Antelias, 2025), 399pp., ...

Dr. David Zakarian, standing center, with elementary Armenian language students. Nellie ChobanyanStaff Writer At Fresno State, the Armenian 1A-Elementary Armenian course continues to draw students from a variety of majors and backgrounds, united by a shared goal: learning the Armenian language and connecting more deeply with its culture. For many, the class is more than just fulfilling a requirement, it’s ...

Left to right: Sosse Baloian Yanez, Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Dr. David Zakarian, and Dr. Talin Suciyan. Rachel Yepremian-OwensStaff Writer On Friday, May 9, 2025, Dr. David Zakarian, Haig and Isabel Berberian Professor of Armenian Studies at Fresno State, gave a lecture titled “Glimpses into Women’s Lives in Medieval Armenia.” The purpose of the lecture was to explore how Armenian ...