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Armenian Action
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March 1996
Vol. 17, No. 3 (53)
Supplement to The Collegian
Catholicos Karekin I at Fresno State
By Sean Clark
The representation of all
that is Armenian came to Fresno
State University on the 9th of February. His Holiness, Karekin I
Catholicos of All Armenians, included in his sojourn to North
America a visit to the university
campus as part of his focus of the
future of education in the church
and in Armenia. He arrived at the
Satellite Student Union to give a
lecture on Education and Christianity. Coming in through the rear
entrance of campus the crowd that
assembled to greet him was a combination of clergy, coordinators,
the Armenian Studies Department,
supporters, photographers, and with
the addition of security and the
United States Secret Service the
excitement shared by all surged
when his entourage arrived.
Hurried into a rear dressing room he was able to visit before
his talk. The Armenian Studies
Department presented him with
several journals, catalogs, and
books concerning the Armenian
culture in the Central Valley and
abroad. Dr. Dickran Kouymjian,
His Holiness Karekin I Catholicos of All Armenians speaks to Fresno State
Director of the Armenian Studies
Department, included several of his
own works. For Karekin I and
Kouymjian it was areunion of sorts.
In the early 1960's the two men
shared the relationship of teacher
andsrudent. The entire time seemed
to fly by for soon it was time for the
lecture.
Speaking before a stand
ing room only crowd the Catholicos
spoke authoritatively and with fervor on the subject of the human
wholeness of Christianity and the
pursuit of knowledge. His speech
was paced and
well developed.
He brought innovation to the subject and divine insight about the re-
ality of contemporary Christianity. With command that only he
could possess he
spoke against the
decline of spirituality in teaching.
There were questions allowed at
the end both on
topics he was well
versed and "specific in answering.
The gratitude admonished by the
audience was enthusiastic.
Immediately following the
lecture a group of
Fresno State students were ushered
in for an audience with the
See CATHOLICOS page 4
Mr. Harry Topoozian Establishes $10,000 Scholarship Fund
Staff Article
Mr. Harry Topoozian ofFresno
has donated $ 10,000 to Fresno State
to establish the Harry and Mary
Topoozian Armenian Studies Merit
Scholarship Endowment Fund.
The annual income from the
endowment will be disbursed in
the form of scholarships to students enrolled at Fresno State.
The Outstanding Achievement
Scholarship will be awarded to a
student who is or has enrolled in
one or more Armenian Studies
courses and has demonstrated the
most outstanding achievement in
overall academics, leadership, and
community service.
A general scholarship will also
be awarded to students enrolled in
oneor more Armenian Studies Program courses and who have dem-
onstratedexcellencein scholarship.
During his childhood, because
of the necessity to work on his
father's farm, Harry Topoozian
never got the opportunity to get a
higher education. His decision to
fund a scholarship was based on his
desire to see that students could get
the opportunity he never received.
Wlr. Harry Topoozian with son Dr. Mark Topoozian
He also wanted to give something
back to the Armenian community
and his heritage.
Harry Topoozian is a life-long
farmer and businessman who was
born and has lived his entire life in
Fresno. His late wife Mary
Kazarian Topoozian, was bom in
San Francisco and attended Catholic schools. Upon Harry's return in
1945, after serving in the U.S. army
during World War II, he quickly
got back to work at his family farm.
In June of 1947 he was introduced to Mary by a mutual friend
and they were married in December of the same year.
Harry Topoozian's parents,
Mugrtich and Zartar Topoozian,
were from Kharpertand immigrated
to the United States before the
Genocide.   They raised six chil
dren. Mary Kazarian Topoozian's
parents, Abraham and Eva
Kazarian, who were natives of the
Tabriz region near Lake Urmia,
lost three children in the Genocide.
One child, Robert Kazarian, survived the Genocide, and currently
resides in the Bay area. The
Kazarian's, after their arrival in the
United States, had four more children.
Mary Topoozian was a home-
maker who initially knew very little
about farming quickly learned the
family trade and provided support
and assistance to her husband. She
was devoted to raising her five children and noted for her ability to
cook and bake. She was a member
of St Gregory Armenian Church
and a member of the Executive of
the Ladies' Society of which she
had been a member for over 40
years. Like her husband she was an
avid sports fan, especially fond of
the San Francisco 49 'ers andFresno
State athletics.
Harry Topoozian is the father
of five children: Tom Topoozian,
Dr. Mark Topoozian, Nancy
Topoozian, Christine Sahatdjian,
and Karen Sahakian, all of whom
graduated from Fresno State. Mr.
Topoozian has nine grandchildren
whom he greatly enjoys. Four of
his grandchildren currently attend
the Armenian Community School
ofFresno.
Mr. Topoozian is a Benefactor
of the Armenian Community
School of Fresno and a long time
supporter of the Western Diocese
of the Armenian Church. He is a
lifetime member of St. Gregory
Armenian Church of Fowler.
Inside...
Catholicos Special Feature,
pages 4&5
Catholicos and Holy Mass,
page 8