The Armenian Studies Program web page is sponsored by a grant from
The Bertha and John Garabedian Charitable
Foundation, Fresno.
Name: Svetlana Bagdasarov
Major: Social Work
Minor: Armenian Studies
Why did you pursue an Armenian Studies Minor?
I decided to pursue
an Armenian Studies minor in order to increase my knowledge of my culture. I can honestly say that everything that I have learned
about my heritage was a direct result of my participation in numerous Armenian Studies classes.
What Armenian
Studies class or classes influenced you the most and why?
I truly enjoyed
each and every Armenian Studies course offered
during my undergraduate career.
However, the class that influenced me the most would have to be Armenian
Studies 20 (Arts of Armenia).
The course not only expanded my knowledge on the
various aspects of Armenian culture, but it also elaborated on the many things
that
make it so distinctive.
How has taking
Armenian Studies courses shaped your college education?
Armenian
Studies courses were a great addition
to my academic curriculum. The courses enhanced my college experience by
enabling me to become a well-rounded individual through valuable
information
acquired outside of my field of study.
What was your
favorite college experience?
My most
memorable college experience would
have to be the year that I served as a
Wellness Ambassador for the Wellness Ambassador Program here at
What are your
plans after graduation?
Graduate school
is
definitely on my list of priorities after I graduate. I am planning to
pursue a master’s degree in public health in order to fulfill
my dream of
becoming a public health professional working in the public or the private
sector.
Name: Ariana
Kasparian
Major: Health
Science (Option: Community Health)
Minor: Armenian
Studies
Why did you
pursue an Armenian Studies
Minor?
A minor in
Armenian Studies gave me the opportunity to learn so much more about my
culture, religion and history. Going to church
and being around Armenians does
not necessarily teach you about where the history started and where things are
today. I wanted to learn
the language, as well as how to read and write. I
wanted to learn about the country itself and all the history behind the
architecture. Receiving my minor was an
added bonus to going to college because I leave knowing more about myself then I
came in with.
What Armenian
Studies class or classes influenced you the most and why?
The very first
class I took my freshmen year was an Armenian
Architecture class. I took this
class with my older sister and we were truly inspired by this class. I learned
the details of all the
different styles of Armenian Churches, and also about
Armenian manuscripts. Seeing all the architectural structure and beautiful
relics
made me appreciate my culture and where my family originated from even
more than I already did. I have not had
the opportunity to travel
to
How has taking Armenian Studies courses
shaped your college education?
Every
course taken gave me a different type of knowledge. The Armenian Studies
courses shaped my college
education by presenting new material and teaching me
about a variety of different things. They helped me stand out among my peers,
because
not only was I there to get a degree in something I love, but also to
get a minor in something that is directly linked to me.
What
was your
favorite college experience?
The college
experience in itself was an adventure, so it is hard to be able to pick just
one. Those
experiences stem from the
classes I have taken, to the professors I have met and from all the obstacles
along the way. College was a
great experience, and I learned so much from the
classes I took and from the people I met.
What are your
plans after graduation?
My plans
after
graduation are to take the summer off and relax for a while. I have applied for
the Masters Program in Public Health Administration
and I am hoping to be
accepted into that program. If I am accepted into the program, I will begin in
the fall and continue my education
for another three years. While attending
school I plan on interning and volunteering to gain the work experience needed
to prepare me
for my career ahead. I am very passionate about health and health
education and I hope to be able to teach people one day.
Name: Gina S.
Jelladian
Major: Real
Estate & Urban Land Economics
Minor: Armenian
Studies
Why did you
pursue an Armenian Studies
Minor?
I love my
culture and I wanted to study it.
What Armenian
Studies class or classes influenced you the most and why?
My favorite
classes were the language classes, architecture,
and the most recent Armenian
Studies class with visiting professor Dr. Bournoutian.
How has taking
Armenian Studies courses shaped your
college education?
I took an
Armenian Studies course nearly every semester during my college education, so
it was a nice filler to
space out all of my business classes. I’m not a huge
fan of history, but all of the Armenian history, religion and literature of my
people
was invaluable!
What was your
favorite college experience?
This –
Graduating!
What are your
plans after graduation?
I will continue
running
my gift and invitation boutique, RSVP, with my sister Stephanie. You can visit us anytime at the
Name: Mary
Madoyan
Major: Business
Management
Minor: Armenian
Studies
Why did you
pursue an Armenian Studies Minor?
I pursued a
minor
in Armenian Studies because I wanted to learn more about my culture.
What Armenian
Studies class or classes influenced you the most and why?
The Armenian
Studies class that influenced me the most was Armenian
history. Armenians have such a rich history; it was
interesting to learn about everything they have gone through over the
centuries.
It is truly amazing that after all their struggles they still held
on to their beliefs, language, and religion, and that today their
still stands
a country named
How has taking
Armenian Studies courses shaped your college education?
Armenian
Studies courses have
provided me with an abundance of information about
What was
your
favorite college experience?
My favorite
part of college was getting to meet new people and making new friends. College
allows you
to network and meet people you probably would have never come in
contact with outside of school.
What are your
plans after graduation?
After
graduation,
I plan to take some time off and hopefully do some traveling. After
my break, I am planning to find a management position in a hospital.
Name: Peter
Petrosyan
Major: Business
Management
What Armenian
Studies class or classes influenced you the most and why?
All of the
courses
influenced me equally because they all had interesting information
about Armenian culture.
How has taking
Armenian Studies courses shaped your college education?
The courses
helped me realize that understanding different cultures
assists you in
approaching ideas and solving problems with different perspectives.
What was your
favorite college experience?
My favorite
college
experience was meeting teachers and students with similar interests.
What are your plans
after graduation?
My plans after
graduation
will be to find a career that supports my major, as well as pursue
my MBA.
Candice Denise Antaramian, graduated in December 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History.
A fuller listing of 2009 graduating
seniors will be published in Hye
Sharzhoom in the Fall.