News

Christine Pambukyan Staff Writer “The reason I titled my series of presentations “Armenians and ‘Other Armenians’ in Turkey” has to do very much with how the Republic of Turkey …, as a nation-state, understands, categorizes and defines Armenians” explained Dr. Hrag Papazian, the 19th Kazan Visiting Professor of Armenian Studies at Fresno State. “The Muslim and Alevi Armenians are ‘other ...

Andrew Hagopian Editor “It starts out, and it’s a string quartet, which is a bad sign because it is not what I want. I want truth. I want down right folk truth. Then this voice comes out of the record and I immediately thought, oh, I like you,” said Ian Nagoski, when first listening to the voice of soprano Zabelle ...

Staff Report Fresno State alumnus James L. Melikian, hosted an annual September gathering of friends at his home in Southern California, in support of the James L. Melikian & L.A. Brothers Scholarship fund, which was established at Fresno State in 2019. This year’s gathering raised over $5,000, which will be awarded to deserving students studying in the Armenian Studies Program ...

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 ...

Benjamin Kirk Communication Specialist College of Arts and Humanities The Fresno Unified School District officially changed the name of Forkner Elementary School to H. Roger Tatarian Elementary School in a ceremony on Sept. 7. As the thermometer found a third digit late in the morning, dignitaries spoke at the podium illuminated by the full intensity of the late summer sun. ...

On Thursday, September 8, 2022, the Armenian Students Organization held their first meeting for the 2022-2023 academic year. After a heated rock-paper-scissors tournament, elections were held for the executive positions. The elections yielded the following results: Sara Beberian, President; Sevana Wassilian, Vice President; Hrayr Kerkezian, Treasurer; Christa Eritzian, Secretary; and Careen Derkalousdian, Public Relations.   Sara Beberian President Business Major ...