News

Rachel Yepremian Staff Writer Dr. David Zakarian is the new Haig & Isabel Berberian Endowed Professor in Armenian Studies at Fresno State. He is beginning his first semester and is teaching Armenian 1A-Elementary Armenian – speaking, reading, and writing. Students from different backgrounds, majors, and cultures, take Armenian courses at Fresno State for a variety of reasons. “The Armenian language ...

Careen Derkalousdian Staff Writer “[This book] investigates the international and internal security aspects of the Armenian and Macedonian Questions in the late Ottoman period,” said Dr. İlkay Yılmaz. “It analyzes how these two important political topics became issues of security for the Ottoman government.” On Friday, November 1, 2024, Dr. İlkay Yılmaz, a research associate in the department of Modern ...

Rachel Yepremian Staff Writer On Friday, October 11, Dr. Simon Maghakyan, Kazan Visiting Professor in Armenian Studies at Fresno State, continued his three-part lecture series. Dr. Maghakyan’s first lecture, presented on September 27, was entitled “The Past of the Past: Armenian Heritage in Ottoman and Republican Turkey,” and his second lecture, on October 11, was entitled “The Present of the ...

Sosse Baloian Yanez Special to Hye Sharzhoom The Armenian Studies Program Library has many books written by the 19th century Armenian author, Hakop Melik Hakobian, better known by his pen name, Raffi. Born in 1835 to a local nobleman in a Persian province, Raffi was instilled with a tremendous appreciation for learning (“Raffi: A Biographical Sketch,” Asbarez, April, 2023). Engulfing ...

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 ...