Hye Sharzhoom Armenian Action
Staff Report
Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Berberian Coordinator of the Armenian Studies Program at Fresno State, was awarded the Society for Armenian Studies (SAS) “Lifetime Achievement Award” by current SAS President Dr. Bedross Der Matossian at the 45th Anniversary Banquet of SAS held October 12, 2019. Dr. Der Matossian highlighted the unconditional support that Prof. Der Mugrdechian has rendered to the Society over the past several decades.
Past SAS President Dr. Kevork B. Bardakjian (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor) was also among those awarded the “Lifetime Achievement Award.”
Over 130 people attended the Banquet, including members of the greater Los Angeles community, as well as participants of the SAS 45th Anniversary International Conference on the Armenian Diaspora that took place October 12-13 at the University of California, Los Angeles. Academic community members of the University of Southern California and UCLA, which were among the co-sponsors of the SAS conference, also attended the Banquet.
Prof. Der Mugrdechian served as the Master of Ceremonies of the Banquet. SAS President Dr. Der Matossian (University of Nebraska-Lincoln) welcomed the guests and thanked the Organization of Istanbul Armenians (OIA) for hosting the 45th Anniversary Banquet. He then gave an in-depth review of SAS activities over the past two years.
Professor Houri Berberian, Meghrouni Family Presidential Chair in Armenian Studies and Director of the Armenian Studies Program at the University of California, Irvine, spoke on behalf of the Armenian Studies Chairs and Directors of the United States. She highlighted the new collaborative initiatives that have begun between the Armenian Studies Programs and Chairs.
In a musical tribute to the 150th anniversary of the birth of the composer Komitas, musicians Greg Hosharian and Martin Haroutunian played interpretations of Armenian Folk Melodies. After the musical inter-lude, SAS Executive Council member Dr. Dzovinar Derderian read from letters sent by former SAS presidents, Richard Hovan-nissian, Dennis Papazian, Dickran Kouymjian, Ronald G. Suny, and Joseph Kechichian.
Der Matossian also awarded a “Lifetime Achievement Award” to Dr. Khachig Tölölyan (Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Wesleyan University) and founding editor of the Diaspora: A Journal of Transnational Studies, a Zoryan Institute publication.
Dr. Vahram L. Shemmassian (Director of the Armenian Studies Program, California State University, Northridge) gave the concluding remarks.
Archbishop Levon Zekiyan, the Armenian Catholic Archeparch of Istanbul concluded the banquet with his congratulatory words and a prayer.