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Class Report Talene Karkazian Class of 2009 Major: Fashion Merchandising Minor: Armenian Studies Active in the Armenian Students Organization After graduating from Fresno State, Karkazian went on to pursue a Masters Degree in Fashion Design and Apparel, at California State University, Northridge. She is currently working on her thesis, which focuses on the sustainability and upcycling of clothing. Upcycling is ...

Evelyn Demirchian Staff Writer It’s fitting that my last class at Fresno State ends the same way it began—in a small lecture room with Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian. When I first transferred to Fresno State, I didn’t expect to dive into the Armenian Studies Program. It happened on a whim. I knew plenty about the Program and how deeply it ...

Suren Oganessian Staff Writer Haytomar.com Ancient Armenian Calendar Main Categories: Home, Converter, Calendar, Holidays, Get Buttons, Friends, Contact If you heard that this was the year 4,505, would you believe it? According to the often forgotten ancient Armenian calendar—which places its starting date on the day of the legendary battle between Hayk and the Babylonian King Bel—it would be. Haytomar.com ...

Describe how you and your family celebrate the holidays  with Armenian and American traditions.   What did you find surprising or fascinating in the course? Tatevik Hovhannisyan Staff Writer Zhora Pogosyan Sophomore Major: Biology As Armenians, we celebrate the holidays with respect to the holy aspects. My family does not give gifts—we view it as a religious day. The stories and ...

Marine Vardanyan Staff Writer Many things can reflect the tradition of the Armenian culture, but one rich and unique aspect, which has undoubtedly played a key role in preserving the Armenian heritage, is dance. Even now, it draws individuals together and on Saturday, November 10, feelings of pride and joy were awakened in members of the Armenian community who gathered ...

Denise Altounian Staff Writer For one night only, the unique and diverse student population of Fresno State came together, on one stage, to share their culture through music and dance at Fresno State’s International Culture Night, held at the Satellite Student Union on Saturday, November 17. This annual event is organized by student volunteers to promote awareness about the many ...

Denise Altounian Andrew Esguerra Tatevik Hovhannisyan Marine Vardanyan Staff Writers The Armenian Studies Program is often highlighted for its achievement in the community, for the scholarships it offers, and for its recognized professors. However, the classes offered are at the core of the Program. These classes connect students to the rich and vast history of the Armenian people, whether through ...

Staff Report Arev Chakhlasyan Mass Communication & Journalism, Advertising What or whom encouraged you to take an Armenian Studies course? I wanted to learn how to properly read and write in Armenian. Although I can speak and understand it fairly well, I had always wanted to learn it in its entirety. The Armenian Studies course allowed me to do that. ...

Tatevik Hovhannisyan Staff Writer Author Margaret Ajemian Ahnert visited Fresno State on Thursday, November 1, to share her inspiration and insight on her book The Knock At The Door: A Mother’s Survival of the Armenian Genocide, in a lecture sponsored by the Armenian Studies Program and cosponsored by the Armenian General Benevolent Union, Greater Fresno chapter. Ahnert, a talented writer, ...

Emma Shaljyan Staff Writer How did a graduate student from Poland find himself in Fresno doing research in Armenian Studies? As an undergraduate student Konrad Siekierski visited Turkey in 2001 and he was so impressed by the remnants of the Armenian cultural heritage he saw, including the ruins of Ani, the city of Van, and the monastery of Akhtamar, that ...