1998_05 Hye Sharzhoom Newspaper May 1998

              vD'ONsaad
Z9Z "ON Jnui^d
aiva
aSmsod "S'a
jgojj-uoH
pajsanbaa aafAjas ssajppy
I008-0fZ.£6VD'ousMd
fr S/Vl aAV xanpvq m gt£C
urciSojy saipms irenrauxry
$> uoijBznreSio sjuapnjs UBiuauuv
#7£ SHARZHO OM
Armenian Action
iU3 DUPchflMJ
May 1998
Vol. 19, No. 4 (62)
Supplement to The Collegian
Around
the W&Hi
• Robert Kocharian
Elected President of
Armenia on March 30
Receives % 59.49 of Vote
• Kocharian Names 33-
year old Armen
Darbinian as Prime
Minister of Armenia
• President Clinton
Names Michael C.
Lemmon to be U.S.
Ambassador
to Armenia
• United Armenian
Fund (UAF) 98th Airlift
arrives in Yerevan April
19 carrying $1,000,000
of assistance-Since its
inception in 1989, the
UAF has sent over $220
million of humanitarian
assistance to Armenia
aboard 98 airlifts and
362 sea containers
• 40 Members of
Congress
Commemorate
Armenian Genocide on
House and Senate
Floors
•Armenian Assembly of
America will begin to
pursue legislation aimed
At Requiring Turkish
Banks in the United
States to Establish
Compensation for
Armenians Stemming
From the 1915 Genocide
•UCLA History Depart
ment rejects by a vote of
18-17 offer by
Turkey to finance
Endowed Chair-The
offer had prompted
widespread opposition
from scholars around
the country
April 24th Remembered on Campus
By Matthew Maroot
Staff Writer
The pains of the Armenian
Genocide echoed throughout the
Free Speech Area on Friday April
24, 1998 as Armenians from
throughout the community gathered
to honor the memories of those who
fell victim to the horrendous events
of 1915-1923. Even though those
Armenians who experienced firsthand the horrors of the Genocide
can scarcely talk about it today,
they can take solace in the fact that
their grief and suffering are still
remembered.
Fortunately, those in the
younger generationsunderstand the
importance of commemorating the
Armenian Genocide. "I think it is
important for us to continue to commemorate the Genocide because
our ancestors have been through a
lot for us. All of us have someone
that has been through the Genocide, and because of the Turkish
denial, it is important to remember
it,"said Sosi Thomassian. Indeed,
it is the responsibility of us, as
Fresno County Supervisor Deran Koligian next to Armenian
Martyr's Monument at April 24th Rally on CSUF campus.
ASO Ends Successful
Year of Events
Arakel A. Arisian
ASO President
From Shish Kebab sales to
intramural basketball, the
Armenian Students'
Organization has been extremely
busy this year. In this, its 25th
year of existence, the ASO has
represented the Armenian youth
of California State University,
Fresno. It's hard to believe that a
year can go by so fast, but all the
activities and events the ASO
just shows how much can get
done in a year.
The 1997-98 year in
retrospect was very much a
learning experience, especially
for the executive board. When
the new officers (Arakel Arisian -
President, Sosi Thomassian -
Vice President, Talin Mekhitarian
- Treasurer, Rita Aramian -
Secretary, Michael Harutinian -
Historian) were elected nine
months ago it was filled with
new faces, all new members of
the club. None of the executives
had experience with ASO but all
were eager to learn. With the
help of the previous officers and
the advisor, Barlow Der
Mugrdechian, the new executive
board was able to learn and gain
experience.
The first semester was
filled with both fun and educational activities alike. The ASO
had a shish kebab sale, a car
wash, a cabin trip, and participated in intramural volleyball.
Besides that, the ASO co-
sponsored lectures with Armenian Studies Program by Richard
Hovannisian and Ara Sarafian.
The second semester continued
where the first one left off and
See ASO, Page 8
Armenians, to keep the spirit ofthe
martyrs alive. And it is also of
extreme importance to honor those
who survived the Genocide. Because if it wasn't for them, it is
unlikely that we would be here today. "It is important to remember
the Genocide because our grandparents were in it and if it wasn't for
them, we wouldn't be here
anyways. Because of the Genocide, there is a Diaspora," said Alik
Hovsepian.
To honor those who lost
their lives, loved ones, and homes
as a result of the Genocide, members ofthe Armenian Students Organization constructed a scale replica of the Armenian Martyr's
Monument. Just like the actual
monument found in Yerevan, Armenia, the monument constructed
at Fresno State consisted of twelve
sections representing the twelve
provinces ravaged by the Turks.
As well, the monument also in-
See APRIL 24, Page 4
Kazan Fund for Armenian
Studies Established at CSUF
By Barlow Der Mugrdechian
Advisor
The formal announcement of the
establishment of the M. Victoria
Karagozian Kazan Fund for Armenian Studies was made by CSU
Fresno President Dr. John Welty at a
reception held on Friday, May 1, in
the Renaissance Room on the CSU
Fresno campus.
The Kazan Fund for Armenian
Studies will provide support in three
specific areas: 1) funding for scholarships, 2) funding for general operating support of the Armenian Studies Program, and 3) funding for the
M. Victoria Karagozian Monograph
and Lecture Series.
Dr. Dickran Kouymjian,
Berberian Professor of Armenian
Studies and Director of the Armenian Studies Program praised the es
tablishment of the Kazan Fund as a
significant step in the development
of the Armenian Studies Program.
In July of 1997, Henry S. and M.
Victoria Kazan made a gift of their
East Quoque, New York home to
Fresno State. Proceeds from the sale
of the home will be used to establish
the Kazan Fund for Armenian Studies.
Mr. Henry S. Kazan, husband of
the late M. Victoria Karagozian
Kazan, was present at the announcement ceremony and was joined by
family members Dr. Harold Aram
Veeser, Dr. Cyrus Veeser, Dr. Anahid
Kassabian and husband Dr. Leo
Svendsen, daughter Maral, Dickran
Kassabian, and family friend Noble
Mitchell, Sr., all of whom had traveled from the East Coast for the spe-
See KAZAN, Page 8
Henry S. Kazan (I) with CSU Fresno President Dr. John
Welty and Provost Michael Ortiz.
May 1998 Graduates, Page 2      | April 24th Activities, Page 4 | Armenians in Fresno Class, Page 6