News

David Safrazian Staff Writer Phaleristics, the study of awards, orders, and medals, is a bourgeoning area of research. Guest speaker Nika Babayan gave an in-depth look into this understudied topic in his presentation “Awards of Armenia and the Armenian Church” on Friday, January 19 at Fresno State. His presentation was the first in the Armenian Studies Program Spring Lecture Series. ...

Michael Rettig Editor The Armenian Studies Program at Fresno State has had a profound impact on its students in their efforts to better understand their heritage. The Program similarly strives to represent the Armenian community to the larger public. ASP Coordinator Professor Barlow Der Mugrdechian accomplishes this by speaking to public community groups who are interested in learning about Armenian ...

Michael Rettig Editor The purpose of an education is, in part, to expand the students’ mind by allowing them to experience the views and perspectives of others. There is perhaps no better way to accomplish this than by studying abroad in a foreign country. Three students from the Armenian Studies Program, Cole Egoian, Stephen Gonzalez, and Yervand Boyajyan, were awarded ...

Staff Report Armenian Studies Program Coordinator Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian announced that the Thomas A. Kooyumjian Family Foundation has made a donation of $100,000 to the Kooyumjian Endowed Scholarship Fund. This is in addition to an initial gift of $50,000 which established the Endowed Scholarship in 2018. Thomas A. Kooyumjian passed away in 1985 and his Foundation was established in ...

Staff Report Armenian Studies Program Coordinator Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian announced that the Leon S. Peters Foundation has made a generous donation of $30,000 to the Armenian Studies Program at Fresno State for 2017. This continues the tradition of the Peters Foundation in supporting the Armenian Studies Program Annual Lecture Series, as well as a variety of other activities, including ...

Sarine Topaldjikian Staff Writer The Youth Orchestras of Fresno (YOOF) hosted their annual fundraiser concert, “Love Conquers All,” on Sunday, February 11. The concert featured the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra (YPO) and Youth Symphony Orchestra (YSO) combining to perform the first suite from Aram Khachaturian’s energetic, lively, yet romantic ballet, Spartacus, co-sponsored by the Armenian Studies Program at Fresno State. Dr. ...

Suzanna Ekmekchyan Staff Writer Looking back at all of the events that took place in Fall of 2017, ASO would like to thank all the members and executives who put in so much time and energy in order to organize some amazing events. For 2018, ASO plans to go above and beyond what was achieved last year and would like ...

Michael Rettig Editor Armenians uniquely remem-ber the region of Van/Vaspurakan in a way that Turks and Kurds do not. Kazan Visiting Professor in Armenian Studies Dr. Yektan Türkyılmaz first made this realization during his travels in Armenia, where he noticed that the name of Van permeated the country from printing houses and football teams, to radio stations and more. “It ...

Claire Kasaian Staff Writer London-based Ara Sarafian, director of the Gomidas Institute, introduced his new English translation of Van 1915: The Great Events of Vasbouragan to an audience of students and community members at Fresno State on Friday, February 23. Van 1915, originally published in Armenian in 1917, was written by Hovhannes Ter Martirosian, a notable personality of the Armenian ...

Benefactors Thomas A. Kooyumjian Family Foundation Siranouche Krikorian   Patrons Anonymous Phillip Maroot   Friends Varouj & Lena Altebarmakian Armenian General Benevolent Union, Greater Fresno Chapter Armen Aroyan Eleonore Aslanian The Vartkess & Rita Balian Family Foundation    in memory of Vartkess Balian Nerces Leon Dermenjian Grace Kazarian Michael & Jackie Matosian Barbara Vartan Grace Yeni-Komshian   Sponsors Anonymous Dr. ...