News

Staff Report Dr. Bill Erysian, Director of International Programs for the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology at California State University, Fresno, has been named Program Director of a recently-awarded $3.1 million grant from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. The project, entitled “Agricultural Development for Afghanistan Pre-Deployment Training” (ADAPT), is designed to strengthen the capacity of U.S. sponsored agriculture ...

Staff Report The Armenian Studies Program and The Press at California State University, Fresno announce the release of Armenian Poetry of Our Time, translated by Diana Der-Hovanessian. The American-born poet has won national and international awards for her translations and poetry in Armenia and the Diaspora. Armenian Poetry of Our Time is the third book published in the recently established ...

Mari Koshkakaryan Staff Writer As the new school year began, the Armenian Students Organization (ASO) was ready to welcome new and returning members to the organization. With a new year ahead, new executives in charge, and an increase in member participation, it meant a change in the club agenda. With a wider range of participants there are a variety of ...

Denise Altounian Staff Writer “Every Armenian should visit their motherland”—as young Armenians we often hear that phrase preached to us, encouraging us to visit Armenia and see the sights. This past summer, Professor Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Coordinator of the Armenian Studies Program, and 14 students made the journey to Armenia for the 2011 Summer Study Trip and did just that. ...

Ruzan Orkusyan Staff Writer On Sunday afternoon, September 18, 2011, a full house at the Fresno State Concert Hall was transported into the vibrant world of do, re, mis. The talented pianist Vardan Mamikonian dazzled an attentive audience of more than 400 with passages from Liszt, Bach, and Chopin, allowing the audience to escape into a fantasy, forgetting for a ...

Editor Tamar Karkazian Layout Barlow Der Mugrdechian Photographers Barlow Der Mugrdechian Erica Magarian Staff Writers Armen Arikian Evelyn Demirchian Andrew Esguerra Armen Melidonian Ruzan Orkusyan Advisor Barlow Der Mugrdechian barlowd@csufresno.edu

Staff Report Tamar Der Kevorkian Major: Business Administration Minor: Armenian Studies What on-campus Armenian activities were you involved in? I’ve been involved in ASO since I came to Fresno State in Fall 2006. I’ve gone to ASO meetings, fundraisers, guest lectures and commemorative Genocide events. How did your involvement with the Armenian Studies Program affect your college experience?  I was ...

Tamar Karkazian Editor How do you feel the Genocide affects Armenians? Armen Melidonian It is as if every Armenian is born into this position of feeling responsible to remember the Armenian Genocide and to ask one’s self: “I am here and I exist; now what?” It’s one thing to merely say “I must survive” and it’s another thing to say ...

Armen Arikian – Staff Writer Virtual Museum Of Komitas http://www/komitas.am Main Categories: Biography, Work, Komitas-musicologist, Students, Poetry, Letters, Komitas and Genocide, Komitas’ illness, Gallery, Writers about Komitas, Researchers of Komitas, Arrangements of works, Komitas in the modern Armenia, Bibliography, Discography, Komitas Quartet, Links, About the project, Feedback. Summary: Soghomon Soghomonian, later known as the nineteenth century composer Komitas, remains a ...

Ruzan Orkusyan Staff Writer Love, loyalty, promises, cheating, scandals and most importantly copious humor coupled with great acting and vivacious music provided for an enjoyable and unforgettable experience at the comedic play “Don Juan Avia.” As part of its American and Canadian tour, organized by Levon Travel of Glendale, the play made its Fresno debut on March 27, 2011 to ...