News

Andrew Esguerra Staff Writer As the fall semester winds down, the Armenian Students Organization remains active, holding events that are fun and keep the mind off of pesky midterms (for me at least), essays, and projects. Events in the Armenian community held on the last two weekends of October garnered the attention of the club. A lively festival, “A Taste ...

Andrew Esguerra Staff Writer International Education Week, aimed at recognizing international diversity and celebrated on many university campuses across the nation, kicked off at Fresno State on Monday, November 15. One of the first events held was a lecture by Professor Barlow Der Mugrdechian of the Armenian Studies Program, entitled “Armenia at 19: Reflections” which offered a personal retrospective of ...

Staff Report The Society for Armenian Studies held its 34th Annual Membership Meeting in the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel in San Diego, California, on Thursday, November 17, in conjunction with the Middle East Studies Association 44th Annual Meeting. The Society for Armenian Studies is a national and international organization representing more than 225 scholars and teachers in the field of ...

Armen Arikian Staff Writer When does the world truly end? This has been a question that scientists, philosophers, and citizens across the globe have attempted to answer since the beginning of time. This question was reviewed and discussed by a panel of five professors on Tuesday, November 16, as part of a panel on “Beginnings and Renewals: Millennialism, 2012 and ...

Staff Report Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Prof. Sergio La Porta, and the Armenian Studies Program would like to thank the donors, authors, and publishers for the following books, periodicals, videos, and archival gifts, either offered personally, or to the Program. His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia, for the gift of his new book, Saint Nerses the Gracious and Church ...

Editor Tamar Karkazian Layout Barlow Der Mugrdechian Photographers Barlow Der Mugrdechian Erica Magarian Advisor Barlow Der Mugrdechian barlowd@csufresno.edu Staff Writers Joseph Arax Armen Arikian Evelyn Demirchian Andrew Esguerra Mari Koshkakaryan Armen Melidonian Ruzan Orkusyan

Staff Report The Armenian Studies Program sponsored a long awaited exhibition of Armenian-American artist Varaz Samuelian’s work at the second floor of the Fresno City Hall on Thursday, May 6, as part of the ArtHop. Armenian Studies Program Coordinator Barlow Der Mugrdechian introduced the exhibit, curated by Fresno State graduate student Hazel Antaramian Hofman. The highlight of the exhibit was ...

Staff Report While on recent trip to Armenian this past summer, Armenian Studies Program Director Barlow Der Mugrdechian visited the nearly completed Varaz Samuelian Art Center, located in the region of Artik. On September 7 the Armenia Fund (Hayastan All-Armenian Fund) unveiled the completed Varaz Samuelian Cultural Center in Artik, a town near the Gyumri earthquake. The Cultural Center is ...

Staff Report Question: What made you decide to take an Armenian language course this semester? Name: Mounah Saksouk Year: Junior Major: Biology “I enjoy many different cultures and by taking Armenian language I believe I can be diversified. Now I will be able to communicate with my Armenian friends back home. I realize how interesting the language is. Prof. Der ...

Staff Report Former Fresno State Armenian Studies professor Dr. Arra Avakian passed away in Fresno on Wednesday, June 30. He was born in 1912 in Boston, to parents Setrak and Takoohi Avakian, who had emigrated from Kharpert, Armenia. Dr. Avakian graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and upon completing graduate study in 1935 was awarded the degree of Doctor ...