News

Marine Vardanyan Staff Writer Many things can reflect the tradition of the Armenian culture, but one rich and unique aspect, which has undoubtedly played a key role in preserving the Armenian heritage, is dance. Even now, it draws individuals together and on Saturday, November 10, feelings of pride and joy were awakened in members of the Armenian community who gathered ...

Denise Altounian Staff Writer For one night only, the unique and diverse student population of Fresno State came together, on one stage, to share their culture through music and dance at Fresno State’s International Culture Night, held at the Satellite Student Union on Saturday, November 17. This annual event is organized by student volunteers to promote awareness about the many ...

Denise Altounian Andrew Esguerra Tatevik Hovhannisyan Marine Vardanyan Staff Writers The Armenian Studies Program is often highlighted for its achievement in the community, for the scholarships it offers, and for its recognized professors. However, the classes offered are at the core of the Program. These classes connect students to the rich and vast history of the Armenian people, whether through ...

Staff Report Arev Chakhlasyan Mass Communication & Journalism, Advertising What or whom encouraged you to take an Armenian Studies course? I wanted to learn how to properly read and write in Armenian. Although I can speak and understand it fairly well, I had always wanted to learn it in its entirety. The Armenian Studies course allowed me to do that. ...

Tatevik Hovhannisyan Staff Writer Author Margaret Ajemian Ahnert visited Fresno State on Thursday, November 1, to share her inspiration and insight on her book The Knock At The Door: A Mother’s Survival of the Armenian Genocide, in a lecture sponsored by the Armenian Studies Program and cosponsored by the Armenian General Benevolent Union, Greater Fresno chapter. Ahnert, a talented writer, ...

Emma Shaljyan Staff Writer How did a graduate student from Poland find himself in Fresno doing research in Armenian Studies? As an undergraduate student Konrad Siekierski visited Turkey in 2001 and he was so impressed by the remnants of the Armenian cultural heritage he saw, including the ruins of Ani, the city of Van, and the monastery of Akhtamar, that ...

Denise Altounian Staff Writer The area that today comprises Eastern Turkey, holds both enduring and painful memories for Armenians. Many grew up listening to stories their grandparents and great-grandparents told about their lives in places such as Erzerum, Van, Kharpert and many other Armenian inhabited cities and towns within the Ottoman Empire. Unfortunately, the Genocide of 1915 brought a sudden ...

Andrew Esguerra Staff Writer As with many cultures that have a language largely unique to their ancestors, the Armenian alphabet and language helped create a unified cultural identity for the Armenian people and is often cited as a definitive factor in the formation of Armenian identity. Dr. Kevork Bardakjian, Marie Manoogian Professor of Modern Armenian Language and Literature, at the ...

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. The gift will be used for a variety of activities, including scholarships, outreach activities, an Armenia summer study trip, and general support for the Program. Leon S. Peters ...

Staff Report Armenian Studies Program Coordinator Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian announced that the Thomas A. Kooyumjian Family Foundation has made a generous donation of $35,500 to the Armenian Studies Program and the Center for Armenian Studies. The gift will be used for a variety of activities, including outreach activities, special conferences, and scholarships. This is the fourth year of support ...