2014_03 Hye Sharzhoom Newspaper March 2014

              California State University, Fresno
Armenian Studies Program
and Armenian Students Organization
5245 N. Backer Ave. M/S PB 4
Fresno, CA 93740-8001
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FRESNO, CA
HYE SHARZHOOM
Armenian Action
35
th
Year
March 2014
Vol 35, No. 3 (125)
Ethnic Supplement to The Collegian
Hye Sharzhoom-Ref\ect\ons by Editors on
35th Anniversary of the Student Newspaper
AU3 GUPcMlhlT
The Armenian Movement
UnMirtnt'W^,  April 16-14 1979
Marine Vardanyan
Editor
"It is simply in the nature of
Armenian to study, to learn, to
question, to speculate, to discover,
to invent, to revise, to restore, to
preserve, to make, and to give. " -
William Saroyan.
Only two years after the
Armenian Studies Program was
established, Hye Sharzhoom
was launched in April of 1979,
providing students with an
instrument to transmit ideas and
issues important to the Armenian
community and to expand
awareness about the dynamic
Armenian Studies Program and
Armenian Students Organization.
For thirty-five years Hye
Sharzhoom has sustained its
mission. It has enabled individuals
to share ideas, develop opinions,
create connections, and preserve
Armenian values. In each unique
ASO Balances Work with Fun
issue of Hye Sharzhoom, elements
of Armenian culture can be
observed. Our curiosity, boldness,
pride, love, and all that is unique to
Armenians exist in the newspaper.
Hye Sharzhoom is a microcosm
of Armenian nature, as described
by the great Armenian-American
writer William Saroyan.
Thirty-five remarkable years
have been achieved by the
assiduous work of the editors,
staff writers, photographers, and
advisors. Though students are
in college for a relatively brief
time, their contributions to Hye
Sharzhoom are everlasting.
Hye Sharzhoom celebrates
its 35th Anniversary with a look
back and interviews with previous
editors.
Bill Erysian
Editor: Fall 1979-Fall 1980
How did you become
interested in joining the staff of
Hye Sharzhoom? Why did you
decide to become editor?
See Hye Sharzhoom Page 4
Harutyunyan Brings Song &
Dance Workshop to Fresno
Hasmik Harutyunyan, left, leading students at the "Armenian
Song and Dance Workshop," held Saturday, February 1.
non-Armenians.    The    Saturday,
Ruzan Orkusyan
Staff Writer
For the third year in a row,
Hasmik Harutyunyan, member of
the world renowned Shoghaken
Folk Ensemble, captivated
and engaged her audience of
young and old, Armenians and
February 1, "Song and Dance
Workshop," sponsored by the
Armenian Studies Program and
Armenian Students Organization
offered an unforgettable afternoon
of traditional Armenian music,
dances, history, and wisdom. The
Workshop was partially funded by
See harutyunyan Page 7
Leon S. Peters Foundation Gift of $30,000 to ASP
ASO Armenian Genocide Commemoration committee.
Marine Vardanyan
Editor
Staff Report
Armenian Studies Program
Coordinator Prof. Barlow Der
Mugrdechian announced that
the Leon S. Peters Foundation
has made a generous donation of
$30,000 to the Armenian Studies
Program at Fresno State for 2014.
This continues the tradition of the
Peters Foundation in supporting
the Armenian Studies Program
Annual Lecture Series, as well
as a variety of other activities,
including scholarships, outreach
activities,   an Armenia   summer
study trip, and general support for
the Program.
Leon S. Peters was respected
as a businessman, civic leader,
and philanthropist who lived and
worked according to the highest
See Peters Gift Page 6
A pleasant balance of work and
leisure has preoccupied members
of the Armenian Students
Organization as the Spring
Semester rapidly approaches
its   halfway   mark.   With  April
only a month away, a number of
meetings have already taken place
to prepare for the 99th Anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide
commemorative activities.
"The meetings are very serious,
everyone seems very focused and
See ASO Page 4
Armenians in Middle East Focus of Presentation
The California State University, Fresno
Armenian Studies Program
26th Annual Banquet
welcoming
Fresno State President Dr. Joseph I. Castro
and First Lady Mary Castro
and celebrating the 35th anniversary
of Hye Sharzhoom
Graduating seniors receiving an Armenian Studies Minor and
ASP Scholarship recipients will be recognized.
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Reception-5:00PM Dinner-6:00PM
Ft. Washington Golf & Country Club • Fresno
Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian with Dr. Partow Hooshman-
drad, Coordinator of Persian Studies at Fresno State.
Denise Altounian
Staff Writer
The Armenian people have
a long and storied history in the
Middle East. Armenians have left
a legacy of success and hard work
in  countries  such   as   Lebanon,
Syria, Iran and Egypt. Dating
back to their first interactions
with Arab Muslims in the 7th
century, Armenians have had
almost constant contact with the
Middle East in the centuries that
followed.
This    partnership    continues
today on the campus of Fresno
State. Professor Barlow Der
Mugrdechian, Coordinator of the
Armenian Studies Program, served
as a guest speaker for the MES10
class, "Introduction to the Middle
East," to address the impact of
Armenians in the Middle East. His
talk "The Armenians in the Middle
East and Diasporan Armenian
Communities "detailed the history
of the Armenians in the region,
how these communities formed,
and the future of Armenians in the
Middle East
Professor Der Mugrdechian
was invited to speak as part
of the Middle Eastern Studies
Lecture, Performance & Film
Series organized by Dr. Partow
Hooshmandrad, Roshan Endowed
Faculty in Persian Language
& Culture, and Coordinator of
Persian Language and Culture
Studies at Fresno State.
The Middle East Studies
Program was founded in  2009
See Middle East Page 7