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Armenian Studies Program

Welcome to The Armenian Studies Program

The Armenian Studies Program was established in 1977 and the Center for Armenian Studies was founded in 1988. The Center provides an opportunity for students and faculty to interact and currently houses the Armenian Studies Program, the Sahatdjian Armenian Studies Library, the Avedian Armenian Studies Archives, the newspaper Hye Sharzhoom/Armenian Action, the Armenian Students Organization, and the Index of Armenian Art.

The Haig and Isabel Berberian Endowed Chair in Armenian Studies, established in the fall of 1988, is one of several Armenian Chairs in the United States and provides financial support for a distinguished Armenologist. The endowment honors Haig and Isabel Berberian and was established by their son-in-law and daughter, Dr. and Mrs. Arnold H. and Dianne Gazarian. Other friends of the Armenian Studies Program have made significant contributions to the endowment.

A Brief History of the Armenian Studies Program

Follow Armenian Studies on Instagram

The Armenian Studies Lecture Series

CUP leaders

An International Conference

"A New History-Writing on Late Ottoman-Turkish History:
The Impact of Memoirs"

Friday, October 17, 2025 • 6:00-7:00PM Reception
7:00PM Conference

Full program


University Business Center, Fresno State
5245 N. Backer Ave.

Keynote Speaker: Taner Akçam (UCLA)
Moderator: Ümit Kurt (University of Newcastle)

Janet Klein (University of Akron) • Michael Provence (UC, San Diego)

Saturday, October 18, 2025 • Panel 3-10:00AM-11:20AM 
Smittcamp Alumni House, Fresno State • 2625 E. Matoian Way

Moderator: Barlow Der Mugrdechian
Ümit Kurt (University of Newcastle) • Yiğit Akın (Ohio State University) • Duygu Tasalp (University of Louvain)

Saturday, October 18, 2025
Panel 3-11:30AM-12:50PM

Moderator: David Zakarian
Kent Schull (Binghamton University) • Merisa Sahin (Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor) • Ekrem Yener (Bilgi University)

six short films

"Armenians in Film"
Six Short Films by Armenian Filmmakers

Friday, October 24, 2025 
5:30PM

in conjunction with CineCulture

Free admission-Free parking

University Business Center,
5010 N Woodrow Ave (in the Student Rec Center)
Fresno State

David Zakarian

"Medieval Book Curses: How Armenians Guarded Their Manuscripts"

Dr. David Zakarian
Haig & Isabel Berberian Professor of Armenian Studies
Friday, November 7, 2025 
7:00PM

Grosse Industrial Technology Building, Room 101 Auditorium
2255 E. Barstow Ave., Fresno State
(S/E Corner of Barstow and Campus Drive)

Free admission and free parking. Permits not required. Park in Lot P23 or P20.

Ralph Shabazian

Ralph Shabazian Endowed Armenian Memorial Fund Established with Gift of $700,000

Ralph Shabazian Endowed Armenian Fund

Florence Elaine Hamparson

Florence Elaine Hamparson Endowed Armenian Memorial Fund Established with Gift of $450,000

Florence Elaine Hamparson Endowed Armenian Fund

 



Armenian Genocide Monument

Armenian Genocide Monument Unveiled at Historic Ceremony

4,000 plus attended on Thursday, April 23, 2015 at Fresno State's Maple Mall

Photo by Paul Schlesinger, The Collegian

On Sunday, November 2, 2014 the Armenian Community of the San Joaquin Valley broke ground on a Monument dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The event began at 2:30 p.m. and took place at the Fresno State Maple Mall, located south of the Satellite Student Union. 
For more information, go to Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee-Fresno.