News

Staff Report The Armenian Studies Program sponsored a long awaited exhibition of Armenian-American artist Varaz Samuelian’s work at the second floor of the Fresno City Hall on Thursday, May 6, as part of the ArtHop. Armenian Studies Program Coordinator Barlow Der Mugrdechian introduced the exhibit, curated by Fresno State graduate student Hazel Antaramian Hofman. The highlight of the exhibit was ...

Staff Report While on recent trip to Armenian this past summer, Armenian Studies Program Director Barlow Der Mugrdechian visited the nearly completed Varaz Samuelian Art Center, located in the region of Artik. On September 7 the Armenia Fund (Hayastan All-Armenian Fund) unveiled the completed Varaz Samuelian Cultural Center in Artik, a town near the Gyumri earthquake. The Cultural Center is ...

Staff Report Question: What made you decide to take an Armenian language course this semester? Name: Mounah Saksouk Year: Junior Major: Biology “I enjoy many different cultures and by taking Armenian language I believe I can be diversified. Now I will be able to communicate with my Armenian friends back home. I realize how interesting the language is. Prof. Der ...

Staff Report Former Fresno State Armenian Studies professor Dr. Arra Avakian passed away in Fresno on Wednesday, June 30. He was born in 1912 in Boston, to parents Setrak and Takoohi Avakian, who had emigrated from Kharpert, Armenia. Dr. Avakian graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and upon completing graduate study in 1935 was awarded the degree of Doctor ...

Armen Melidonian Staff Writer On Friday, October 1, the Armenian Studies Program held a screening of Dr. J. Michael Hagopian’s The River Ran Red, a film devoted to the oral histories of Armenian Genocide survivors, many of whom are today no longer alive. After 95 years, without the documentation that Dr. Hagopian has conducted, many of the survivor accounts would ...

Andrew Esguerra Staff Writer We often hear that Fresno is just like the land of Armenia. The climate is warm, the soil rich and fertile, and the Armenian community strong and active. Combine this sense of “being home” with the pride Armenians feel on September 21, a revered date to Armenians because it was on this day in 1991 that ...

Ruzan Orkusyan Staff Writer An extraordinarily intelligent and compassionate woman, Dr. Rita Kuyumjian, distinguished for her volunteer work within the Armenian community, most notably after the 1988 earthquake, presented a fascinating lecture on “Trilogy-April 24, 1915: Before and After-The Lives of the Survivors” on September 20th in the University Business Center. The Armenian Studies Program and Tekeyan Cultural Association of ...

Armen Arikian Staff Writer The newly-elected executive officers of the Armenian Students Organization were interviewed about their plans and goals for the new semester. Tamar Karkazian President Sophomore Business Administration-Option Sports Marketing What inspired you to take part as a leader in ASO? The reason I decided to run for President this year is because of my involvement in many ...

Tamar Karkazian Editor If you set foot on the Fresno State campus and look around you will soon realize that the campus is celebrating a century of excellence, as this year marks the University’s hundredth anniversary (1911-2011). Various activities have been taking place throughout campus to celebrate: a centennial parade, a birthday celebration, and a reception honoring leadership. The month ...

Evelyn Demirchian Staff Writer On August 13, 2010, an official delegation from the city of Etchmiadzin, Armenia, led by Mayor Karen Grigoryan, Deputy Mayor Vazrik Grigoryan, and Councilmember Dr. Samvel Franklyan, arrived in Fresno for a weeklong visit to their new Sister City. Etchmiadzin is the historic spiritual center of the Armenian Church and the fourth-largest city in Armenia, and ...