Der Mugrdechian Awarded Honorary Doctorate from Yerevan State University

Staff Report

By a decision of the Yerevan State University Academic Council, Barlow Der Mugrdechian of the Armenian Studies Program at California State University, Fresno was awarded the Honorary Doctorate degree from Yerevan State University.

Der Mugrdechian was awarded the degree for his achievements in working with Yerevan State University and for his work in the field of Armenian Studies.

Dr. Radick Martirossian, Rector of Yerevan State University, made the special presentation to Der Mugrdechian at an awards ceremony held on January 4, 2001, in the presence of the Rector’s Council composed of the administration, Deans, and faculty of Yerevan State University.

Der Mugrdechian is a graduate of California State University, Fresno and UCLA and has been a lecturer in the Armenian Studies Program at California State University for the past sixteen years.

Der Mugrdechian first visited Armenia in 1978, but has returned frequently during the past twelve years, working on a variety of projects. In 1988 and 1990 he conducted study tours of Armenia for college students.

In the 1990s he arranged for students from Yerevan State University to study at Fresno State. Seven students participated in the program.

He is currently project director of the Newly Independent States College and University Partnership Program between the Yerevan State University Faculty of Business and the California State University, Fresno Craig School of Business. The project is in the second year of a four-year grant funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Through the project, faculty from Yerevan State University and California State University have been conducting mutual visits. Faculty from Fresno State have visited Yerevan for two or more weeks conducting workshops and seminars in their areas of expertise.

Der Mugrdechian was instrumental in the establishment of a cooperative exchange agreement between Yerevan State University and California State University, Fresno, where relations between the two universities has expanded over the past ten years.

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