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Benjamin Kirk Communications Specialist College of Arts & Humanities When the late Ralph Shabazian learned about the Armenian Studies Program at Fresno State in early 2016, he knew he wanted to be a part of helping students explore their heritage to help share the Armenian story. Shabazian never learned the Armenian language. However, he had a keen interest in the ...

Staff Report The Armenian Studies Program announces the publication of The State of the Art of the Early Turkish Republic Period: Historiography, Sources and Future Directions, Volume 17 in the Armenian Series of The Press at California State University, Fresno. Edited by Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Ümit Kurt, and Ara Sarafian, The State of the Art of the Early Turkish Republic ...

Hannah Paloutzian Staff Writer “I am convinced that there is much more which unites Armenians today than that which separates us,” stated Dr. Dennis Papazian, in a speech given at the 70th Anniversary celebration of Armenian Independence, June 4, 1988, in New York City. On Thursday, February 23, 2023, Dr. Papazian and his wife, Dr. Mary Papazian, discussed his very ...

Natalie Agazarian Editor Hrair Hawk Khatcherian was born with an artistic eye, and he used that gift to travel to his homeland and capture its beauty, history, and character. His photos transcend the lens, portraying great emotions, harsh realities, and cultural depth. During a series of visits to Artsakh starting in 1988, Hawk compiled years of images into a book ...

Staff Report Armenian Studies Program Coordinator Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian announced that the Leon S. Peters Foundation has continued their generous support of the Armenian Studies Program with a grant of $30,000 for 2023. The Peters Foundation support for the Program over the past eleven years has reached $330,000. This continues the tradition of the Peters Foundation in supporting the ...

Special Report (Los Angeles) The Artsakh Heritage Committee of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church of North America held an international conference on human and cultural security prospects for Artsakh/Nagorno-Karabakh in Los Angeles on November 11-13, 2022 that featured top experts from across the world to discuss cultural preservation, geopolitics, diplomacy, and legal matters concerning Armenian existence. [The ...

Eddy Thurber Staff Writer I was born and raised in Fresno, California. I never spoke Armenian as my grandparents, concerned with the redlining and segregation they and their parents experienced in the early 1900s, made sure that my parents and their siblings spoke English, that did not speak Armenian at home, and had American names. I grew up hearing the ...

Andrew Hagopian Editor The voices of Armenian students at Fresno State were heard on November 7-8, 2022, in response to a planned presentation “International Coffee Hour (ICH) Celebrates Azerbaijan,” which was scheduled to take place in the University Library. On Tuesday, November 7, students were alerted to the presentation by an email from the International Office inviting them to take ...

Andrew Hagopian Editor “I could feel that some of them [students] at least were surprised, to really hear about the history and present-day conditions of Armenians remaining in Turkey. And this is not uncommon. This is not specific to Fresno Armenians or Armenians in the United States. It is a global phenomenon,” said Dr. Hrag Papazian. Dr. Papazian, who is ...

Staff Report Armenian 1A, Elementary Armenian, is an introductory language course for students at Fresno State. The course, offered twice weekly, brings together students from diverse backgrounds to study the Armenian language. Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian has been teaching the course for thirty-eight years and is enthusiastic in bringing his passion for the language to his students. Through the language ...