News

Staff Report With the death of Arlene Srabian, the Armenian Studies Program lost one of its most ardent supporters. Arlene Gale Srabian, born in Fresno on May 21, 1944, was the first child of George Gulian, survivor of the Armenian Genocide, and Hazel Vartanian, native of Parlier, California. Arlene was a member of the first graduating class of McLane High ...

Staff Report Peter Petrosyan Class of 2009 Business Administration; Management Option ASO Member While at Fresno State Petrosyan was involved in the Armenian Students Organization. Upon graduation he worked in his family’s business, Diamond Auto Body located in Fresno. He recently began working in the accounting department of DiBudo & DeFrendis Insurance. Petrosyan is now studying for a Global MBA ...

Marine Vardanyan Staff Writer Love and laughter are the perfect ingredients for a happy life; they also make for an enjoyable Sunday afternoon. On Sunday, February 26, the Ardavazt Theater Group from Los Angeles paid a visit to the Armenian community of Fresno, bringing with them the invaluable gift of love and laughter with their comedy play, “Ser Yev Dzidzagh” ...

Andrew Esguerra Staff Writer Shining a light on the efforts to preserve fragile links to cultures from long ago, Kristen St. John, a collections conservator at UCLA, concluded the Armenian Studies lecture series for the fall semester. Speaking to an audience at Fresno State on November 28th, St. John brought her vast knowledge of the preservation and restoration of manuscripts ...

Ruzan Orkusyan Staff Writer Armenia’s rich, diverse history and culture is perhaps best described through ancient manuscripts and artwork. Since such valuable resources are often unknown, many aspects of the Armenian past are kept secret. Dr. Thomas F. Mathews, Professor Emeritus of Art History at the Institute of Fine Arts at NYU, enlightened a captivated audience on February 8, 2012, ...

Denise Altounian Staff Writer Almost every Armenian grows up learning about the Armenian Genocide. We are told of the massacres our ancestors faced at the hands of the Young Turks, and the struggle we now face to keep this story alive, in hopes that one day it will get the recognition it deserves. Many times this is done in vain, ...

Tamar Karkazian Editor Thursday, February 16, was an eventful evening for the Armenian community of the San Joaquin Valley. The community gathered for the annual Vartanantz Commemoration, and also had an opportunity to meet with the Ambassador of Mexico to the United States, Arturo Sarukhan, prior to the church service and program. The commemoration took place at the St. Gregory ...

Andrew Esguerra Staff Writer Following the 20th anniversary of Armenian independence, which fell on September 21st of last year, a Fresno State audience of more than 200 gave their attention to a truly unique speaker, Raffi Hovannisian. Hovannisian, who visited Fresno on Friday, December 23, offered a look at Armenia from the perspective of a former Foreign Minister of the ...

Editor Tamar Karkazian Layout Barlow Der Mugrdechian Photographers Barlow Der Mugrdechian Erica Magarian Copy Editor Randy Baloian Staff Writers Denise Altounian Armen Arikian Evelyn Demirchian Andrew Esguerra Tatevik Hovhannisyan Mari Koshkakaryan Suren Oganessian Ruzan Orkusyan Emma Shaljyan Marine Vardanyan Advisor Barlow Der Mugrdechian

What kinds of special traditions does your family have for the holidays? Denise Altounian Staff Writer Ian Garoian Senior Music This year for Christmas, my aunt, uncle, and two cousins are coming to Visalia. We usually make tons of sarma, yalanchi, and rice pilaf and eat way too much of it.       Suren Oganessian Masters Program Creative Writing ...