1993_03 Hye Sharzhoom Newspaper March 1993

              Page 2
Hye Sharzhoom - March 1993
Armenian Students Organization    Armenian Studies Classes
A New Attitude
By Michelle Ann Maroot
Editor
As President of the Armenian Students Organization at CSUF I am very
pleased to see such an increase in interest
among the students. Through the interest
that I have witnessed so far, I believe that
this semester is going to be one of the most
active yet. This semester began with a
positive attitude that I believe will set the
course for a continuously growing and
succesfull student organization.
The A.S.O. is currently planning
the events for Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day which we be held on April 23 in
the Free Speech area. The food sales for
Vintage Days is also being planned.
During the Fall '92 semester,
A.S.O. applied for the Diversity Awareness
Hye Sharzhoom
STAFF
EDITOR
Michelle Ann Maroot
STAFF WRITERS
Armen Aghishian
Marlene Bryant
Khatchig Jingirian
Nina Momjian
Aram Sarkissian
Kimberlv Smith
Layout & Design
Michelle Ann Maroot
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Brent Tahajian
ADVERTISING
Tania Alikian
Janice Caprelian
ADVISOR
Barlow Der Mugrdechian
ARMENIAN PAGE EDITOR
Armen Aghishian
ARMENIAN PAGE WRITER
Arlen Soghomonian
Hye Sharzhoom is a supplement to
the Daily Collegian
and the newspaper of the CSUF Armenian Students Organization and
the Armenian Studies Program. It is
funded by the Associated Students,
Inc. Articles may be reprinted pro
vided that Hye Sharzhoom is ac
knowledged. For more information
call the ASP office at (209) 278-
2669.
Grant, sponsored by the University Student
Union Board at Californian State University, Fresno. The Armenian Students Organization received a grant of $375.00. With
this money we will provide a weekend of
Armenian dance performance and lessons
for all students to enjoy.
The Armenian Student Organizations' booth is in the free speech area
and the hours are Modays from 11 am - 1
pm, Wednesdays 11 am 1 pm, and Thursdays from 10 am -12 pm.
The A.S.O. is taking part in Operation Winter Rescue in order to help Armenia survive this harsh winter season.
Donations of canned foods and winter clothing are now being accepted at the booth
during these hours.
All students are invited to join the
A.S.O., Armenian and non-Armenian students are both welcome.
April 24 th
Commemoration of the 78th
Anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide
Saturday, April 24th
6:30 p.m. Religious Service
8:00 p.m. Civic Commemoration
Holy Trinity Armenian
Apostolic Church
Organized by the Armenian
Community Council of the
San Joaquin Valley
By Kimberly N. Smith
...   j Staff Writer	
On a university campus the size of CSUF,
sometimes smaller programs can easily be
overlooked by the majority of the student
population. However the Armenian Studies
Program is trying to change this.
Since 1979, students at CSUF have been
able to take a variety of courses that deal with
Armenian history and culture, according to
Dickran Kouymjian, Haig and Isabel
Berberian Professor of Armenian Studies
and coordinator of the Armenian Studies
Program.
According to Kouymjian, this semester
the program has experienced its highest enrollment ever. Some 125 students are taking
courses and nearly half of the students are
non-Armenian.
There are several Armenian Studies programs set up in universities in the United
States. They include Harvard, Columbia, the
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and
UCLA. Some of these have been suffering
from enrollment and staffing problems. According to Kouymjian, the Armenian Studies
Program at CSUF probably is the most consistent in the variety and regularity of its
course offerings. The other programs do,
however, offer graduate courses in Armenian Studies. CSUF's Armenian Studies has
been stricdy undergraduate.
A variety of classes are offered including
classes in Armenian studies, modern and
ancient Armenian history, William Saroyan,
Armenian literature, Armenian architecture,
and Armenian language.
Richard Ishimaru, a graduate student go
ing for his second B.A. in history is a student
in Kouymjian's modern Armenian history
class. He said about the class, "I came in here
not knowing what to expect and I'm very
interested now." He also added, "I knew
there was a large Armenian population and it
influenced my taking the class. He
(Kouymjian) puts a lot of his heart and soul
into it."
Anna Carrillo, a senior History major, is
another student in Kouymjian's modern Armenian history class. She said she took the
class "Because I didn't know anything about
the Armenian people. I really enjoy the class
because he (Kouymjian) gives a lot of information. He's really devoted to the subject.
He makes me want to know more."
Carrillo also thought she looked at Armenian history in a different way because she is
not Armenian. "Because I'm not a Armenian, I have a different outlook but I can still
relate. I can really sympathize with what the
Armenians are going through."
For students interested in taking Armenian
Studies classes, $20,000 in scholarships are
available. Kouymjian said a lot of students
could get some kind of money by taking a
class through the program and added, "I wish
more students knew about the money."
Kouymjian said the program is currentiy
pursuing some of its future goals such as
integrating more of the classes into the gen*
eral education program. If this is done, it will
make it easier for students to pursue a minor
in Armenian Studies while fulfilling General
Education requirements. The program also
wants to maintain two full time tenure-track
faculty members and hire a secretary, which
the university has not had funds for.
By Nina Momjian
Staff Writer
There are various opinions regarding the
standards that should be met for one to be an
"Armenian". Due to the history our ancestors have survived, our people have been
scattered throughout the world during the
past several generations, evolving differences in values, beliefs, and attitudes among
the Armenian people everywhere. These
differences have led to the beginning of
numerous poUtical parties and organizations with various intentions for the land
and the people of Armenia. Among families, friends, and relatives, Armenians have
always expressed their views of actions that
they think should be taken more seriously or
more lightly to continue strengthening the
Armenian culture. We have often heard,
"Hayeren khosir" (speak Armenian) by our
elders along with many other suggestions
we offer as we expect others to agree with
our standards of being a better Armenian.
As an Armenian student who's struggled to
find a medium between the American and
Armenian cultures, I have always been interested in communicating these differences.
To satisfy my curiosity, I conducted a survey of various opinions among the Armenian students at Fresno State. I asked the
questions: WHAT DO YOU FEEL MAKES
A PERSON "ARMENIAN"? AND HOW
DO YOU SEE YOURSELF LIVING UP
TO YOUR STANDARDS?
In order to consider one's self Armenian,
one must first of all accept that they're
Armenian, respect it and not avoid it. Most
people consider themselves "Armenian"
because they go to an occasional picnic or eat
shish kebab. That is not what makes a person
Armenian. To be an Armenian, one must
retain their customs and traditions, know
their history, being aware of current events,
while respecting and loving one's family.
-I eat, sleep, and live Armenian. I support
and serve at the Armenian church, I belong
and am active in the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF), the Armenian Students Organization (ASO), and the Armenian-American Citizens League. I have a minor in
Armenian Studies (FSU), and I keep up with
all Armenian news. Culturally speaking, I
attend almost all Armenian dinner-dances,
listen to Armenian music 90% of the time,
and in my spare time I study and research
various Armenian topics.
Khatchig Jingirian, Jr. (age 20)
Being Armenian is not being ashamed of
your "Armenianness" and participating in an
Armenian lifestyle, complete with associating yourself with the culture. This does not
mean retaining your individualism as an Armenian.
-I am very proud of what I am, and I don't
hide it, and hve my life being Armenian, in
every aspect. I'm a walking celebration of
my ethnicity!
Khajag Zeitlian (age 20)
The most important things are to be dedicated to preserve the Armenian culture and
values. Also what's equally important is to
be dedicated to the Armenian cause, which
now is most importantly - Kharabagh, the
survival of our people in Armenia through
the winter, and for all Armenians in the
diaspora to do whatever they can to make the
lives of the people in Armenian better -
which includes monetary, humanitarian,
medical, and military aid. Being Armenian
is not only having an Armenian last name,
but getting involved in cultural activities,
political parties, and church organizations
IS. It's a heart-felt desire to try to do all of
these things that makes one an Armenian.
-I am taking all of the language classes at
Fresno State, I am working towards a minor
in Armenian Studies, I am an active member of AYF, and I have been involved with
the church for many years.
Aram Sarkissian (age 19)
Being Armenian means that you are aware
of your culture, language, and religion. It
means you have a certain spirit that no other
culture possesses and no other culture can
understand. You can't really put it into
words... it's just a feeling you have!
-For the rest of my life, I plan to support the
Armenian community in the diaspora, and
Armenian in every way that I can. Also, I
am going to pass down the Armenian culture to my children. I will do everything in
my power to keep the Armenian culture
alive... if it has lasted this long, it will last
forever.
Sara DerBarghamian (age 21)
It depends on how your parents have brought
you up. Your cultural, religious, and political upbringing and the history that you
were taught about your ancestors; maintaining some contact with the Armenian
community to help remind you where your
roots came from.
See Opinion, Page 8