Hye Sharzhoom Begins 40th Year of Publication

Staff Report

The world has changed substantially in the past forty years. In 1979 Armenia was still part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Jimmy Carter was President of the United States. Iranian militants seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held hostages. Mother Teresa won the Nobel Peace Prize. The Pittsburgh Steelers won the Super Bowl. The Academy Award for Best Picture went to “The Deer Hunter.”

And in April of 1979, Hye Sharzhoom was published for the first time on the Fresno State campus. Armenian Studies Program Director Dr. Dickran Kouymjian and a small group of dedicated students conceived of Hye Sharzhoom as the voice of the Armenians at Fresno State. That first special edition was devoted to the Armenian Genocide, and to its recognition. Few would have predicted that forty years later Hye Sharzhoom would still be going strong.

Each generation of students has passed on the torch, as Hye Sharzhoom continues as the oldest continuously published student newspaper in the world. Hye Sharzhoom is operated by students under the guidance of current Armenian Studies Program Director Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian, who also was a staff writer for the first issue in 1979. This semester a new group of students is continuing the tradition.

For students, Hye Sharzhoom has also been a learning experience and has provided an opportunity to interact with faculty and the community. They cover stories, learn how to hone their writing skills, and offer their opinions.

Due to the support of its loyal readers, Hye Sharzhoom has been distributed free to more than 5,000 people throughout the world. While the bulk of the readership is in the United States, Hye Sharzhoom reaches distant shores as well. There are subscribers in Armenia, the Middle East, Australia, Europe, and in South America.

Wherever there are Armenians, there is Hye Sharzhoom.