News

Hannah Paloutzian Staff Writer On Tuesday, March 12, 2024, the Fresno State International Coffee Hour invited international student Harutyun Amirkhanyan to discuss Armenia and its history. Each month, the International Coffee Hour holds an event highlighting a different country in order to engage students in the wide range of cultures that Fresno State students come from. Everyone is welcome to ...

Ani Sargsyan Staff Writer On Thursday, April 25, 2024, the Armenian Studies Program welcomed Dr. Elyse Semerdjian, Robert Aram and Marianne Kaloosdian and Stephen and Marian Mugar Chair of Armenian Genocide Studies at Clark University, to talk about her new book, Remnants: Embodied Archives of the Armenian Genocide. The presentation was made possible through the Ralph Shabazian Armenian Memorial Fund. ...

Staff Report The film “Lost Birds” was screened at Scottsdale Community College on Friday, April 18, 2024, as part of “Genocide Awareness Week.” The event was co-sponsored by the Armenian Studies Program. Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian introduced directors Ela Almayac and Aren Perdeci to a full audience. The screening was followed by a question and answer period.

Sara Beberian Staff Writer “The moment in my life where I thought I did not know anything is the moment that I started learning… there is no learning if there is no listening.” These words from musician Hachig Kazarian were his closing sentiments in his informative presentation on his recent book, Western Armenian Music: From Asia Minor to the United ...

Hannah Paloutzian Staff Writer “Even if we sell our children, we could not afford to pay the taxes,” said one Armenian, cited from a primary source Dr. Talin Suciyan utilized in her study of the Tanzimat Era of the Ottoman Empire. According to Dr. Suciyan, the Tanzimat Era was intended to bring modernization and reform to the Empire, which had ...

Careen Derkalousdian Staff Writer “The primary mission of our program is to teach,” said Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian. “Through the participation of students, support of administration and staff, and through the engagement of our community, this program has thrived.” On Sunday, March 17, 2024, the Armenian Studies Program held its 36th Annual Banquet at the Fort Washington Country Club to ...

Staff Report The Armenian Studies Program awarded scholarships to sixty-two students from forty different endowment or scholarship funds for a total of $115,000 for the academic year 2023-2024. In addition to providing needed financial support, the scholarships encourage students to pursue a Minor in Armenian Studies and to enroll in the various course offerings. We ask our students and our ...

Sara Beberian Staff Writer It is not enough to say “Never Forget.” As an Armenian living in the Diaspora, years pass and it becomes easier to assimilate into the new culture where we are living, to forget where we came from and why we are here. Many of us, born in America, are third or fourth-generation Armenian-Americans. Many of us ...

Natalie Agazarian Editor “My imagination has ingested only a filament of a huge event.” Peter Balakian, author and poet of eight books, visited the Fresno State campus on Monday, April 22 to address what Dr. Sergio La Porta introduced as a “continuation of a conversation through poetry.” Balakian’s lecture, titled “Imagining the Past: Atrocity, Trauma, and the Armenian Genocide,” reflected ...

Staff Report Fresno State alumni Jeff and Jason Ahronian have established an annual scholarship in the Armenian Studies Program at Fresno State. Jeff and Jason wanted to give back to the community which has helped them out with so much over the years. They believe it is important that students learn about the rich Armenian culture and history and the ...