Friday, July 1, 2022
No Result
View All Result
Asbarez.com
NEWSLETTER
ՀԱՅ
  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Community
  • Arts & Culture
    • Art
    • Books
    • Music
    • Theatre
    • Critics’ Forum
  • Op-Ed
    • Editorial
    • Opinon
    • Letters
  • Columns
    • By Any Means
    • My Turn
    • Three Apples
    • Community Links
    • Critics’ Forum
    • My Name is Armen
    • Living in Armenia
  • Videos
  • Sports
  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Community
  • Arts & Culture
    • Art
    • Books
    • Music
    • Theatre
    • Critics’ Forum
  • Op-Ed
    • Editorial
    • Opinon
    • Letters
  • Columns
    • By Any Means
    • My Turn
    • Three Apples
    • Community Links
    • Critics’ Forum
    • My Name is Armen
    • Living in Armenia
  • Videos
  • Sports
No Result
View All Result
Asbarez.com
ՀԱՅ
No Result
View All Result

Fresno State Armenian Studies Program Celebrates with 26th Annual Banquet

by Contributor
May 6, 2014
in Community, Latest, News
0
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

L. to r.: Dean Charles Boyer of the Jordan College of Agriculture, Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Fresno State President Dr. Joseph Castro, First Lady Mary Castro, Dr. Sergio La Porta, and Dean Vida Samiian of the College of Arts & Humanities. (Photo: Thomas Ramirez)

BY MARINE VARDANYAN

FRESNO, Calif.—A special moment arises each year for the faculty, students, and supporters of the Armenian Studies Program. It is an occasion that serves as a reunion, a celebration, and a reflection on the successes of the Program. The 26th Annual Armenian Studies Program Banquet took place on Sunday, March 2, at the Fort Washington Golf & Country Club in Fresno.

The Armenian Studies Program has much to take pride in. It has succeeded in not only offering students a Minor in Armenian Studies, but has an array of achievements that includes the establishment of the only university-published Armenian student newspaper in the United States. “Hye Sharzhoom is a unique publication that represents our Program and the students, to the campus and to the community,” said Professor Der Mugrdechian. Hye Sharzhoom’s 35th Anniversary was a focal part of the evening’s celebration.

With previous editors and staff members in attendance, the audience enjoyed listening to their recollections, and viewing “Hye Sharzhoom, a Retrospective,” a power point presentation of the newspaper’s cover pages throughout the years.

Editor Vahe Messerlian (1984-1985) stated that Hye Sharzhoom had “done an outstanding job of showcasing the successes of the Armenian Studies Program and the Armenian Students Organization, keeping up with current events, and presenting the richness of our culture and heritage.” Former editors Arakel Arisian (1997-1998) and Tamar Karkazian (2010-2013) also recounted the high points of their tenure as Hye Sharzhoom editors.

The Armenian Studies Program recognized the contribution of nine Hye Sharzhoom editors who were present at the Banquet, presenting them each with a plaque and a book, published by the Armenian Series of The Press at Fresno State.

The Armenian Studies Program was honored to have Fresno State President Dr. Joseph Castro and First Lady Mary Castro in attendance. Dr. Castro is a first generation college student and a Valley native, and his position as the head of the university “gives a fresh look upon what a university is,” said Dr. Sergio La Porta in his introduction. “It’s not an institution…it’s an organic, dynamic place where people come alive in ways they never thought.”

Although he is in only his first year as Fresno State President, Dr. Castro is already familiar with and impressed by the Armenian Studies Program and its contribution to Fresno State and the community at large. “I sense how important the Armenian Studies Program is for the campus, for the community, and for the nation. I would like to compliment everyone who has helped to build this incredible Program.”

President Castro also voiced his support for the Armenian Studies Program and the community for the initiative to construct an Armenian Genocide Memorial on campus, which would make Fresno State the first university to have such a memorial.

“Where else should that be but here at Fresno State,” stated Dr. Castro. The audience was filled with excitement and anticipation as the President outlined his ideas and his vision of the bright future that awaits Fresno State. “In short, I want to work with all of you to make Fresno State the very best university of its kind that it can be here in the nation,” said President Castro.

The Armenian Studies Program also welcomed Dr. Vida Samiian, Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, who addressed the audience.

“The Armenian Studies Program does so much with two faculty members, Barlow Der Mugrdechian and Sergio La Porta, who are amazing, and do the work of ten faculty. Many of you in the audience are the product of our Program. We could not have accomplished what we have with the Program without you. Through your presence and your support, together we have the best undergraduate Armenian Studies Program in the United States…I also would like to congratulate the students who make all of us so proud with their achievements.”

The Banquet continued with recognition of graduating seniors, students with minors, and students who were recipients of Armenian Studies scholarships. Graduating senior Andrew Esguerra spoke of his outstanding memories while a student at Fresno State. Special recognition was also given to the executive officers of the Armenian Students Organization. Each student felt a sense of pride and achievement as they were recognized and received certificates of recognition from the Armenian Studies Program.

The evening ended with those in attendance showing their appreciation for the Armenian Studies Program and all that it has achieved. Guests left the Banquet with a gift of books from the Armenian Series of The Press at Fresno State, along with photos of their fun time in the photo booth during the reception.

With more than ten Armenian Studies Programs and endowed chairs in the United States, Fresno State’s Armenian Studies Program is the top undergraduate Program in the country.

“It is only through the support of the community, and those of you in attendance this evening, that this success is possible,” said Professor Der Mugrdechian.

Contributor

Contributor

Next Post

Fresno’s Keyan School Holds 37th Annual Banquet, Celebrates WASC Accreditation

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

Team of Armenian Mountaineers Summit Highest Peak in North America

Team of Armenian Mountaineers Summit Highest Peak in North America

2 hours ago
Memorial Peace Garden in La Verne, Calif. Named After Dr. Garbis Der-Yeghiayan

Memorial Peace Garden in La Verne, Calif. Named After Dr. Garbis Der-Yeghiayan

2 hours ago

Connect with us

  • About
  • Advertising
  • Subscribe
  • Contact

© 2021 Asbarez | All Rights Reserved | Powered By MSDN Solutions Inc.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Community
  • Arts & Culture
    • Art
    • Books
    • Music
    • Theatre
    • Critics’ Forum
  • Op-Ed
    • Editorial
    • Opinon
    • Letters
  • Columns
    • By Any Means
    • My Turn
    • Three Apples
    • Community Links
    • Critics’ Forum
    • My Name is Armen
    • Living in Armenia
  • Videos
  • Sports

© 2021 Asbarez | All Rights Reserved | Powered By MSDN Solutions Inc.

Accessibility

Accessibility modes

Epilepsy Safe Mode
Dampens color and removes blinks
This mode enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode
Improves website's visuals
This mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode
Helps to focus on specific content
This mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode
Reduces distractions and improve focus
This mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode
Allows using the site with your screen-reader
This mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.

Online Dictionary

    Readable Experience

    Content Scaling
    Default
    Text Magnifier
    Readable Font
    Dyslexia Friendly
    Highlight Titles
    Highlight Links
    Font Sizing
    Default
    Line Height
    Default
    Letter Spacing
    Default
    Left Aligned
    Center Aligned
    Right Aligned

    Visually Pleasing Experience

    Dark Contrast
    Light Contrast
    Monochrome
    High Contrast
    High Saturation
    Low Saturation
    Adjust Text Colors
    Adjust Title Colors
    Adjust Background Colors

    Easy Orientation

    Mute Sounds
    Hide Images
    Virtual Keyboard
    Reading Guide
    Stop Animations
    Reading Mask
    Highlight Hover
    Highlight Focus
    Big Dark Cursor
    Big Light Cursor
    Navigation Keys

    Asbarez.com Accessibility Statement

    Accessibility Statement

    • www.asbarez.com
    • July 1, 2022

    Compliance status

    We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of circumstance and ability.

    To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level. These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.

    This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.

    Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML, adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.

    If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email

    Screen-reader and keyboard navigation

    Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements, alongside console screenshots of code examples:

    1. Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website. In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels; descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups), and others. Additionally, the background process scans all of the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology. To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on as soon as they enter the website.

      These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.

    2. Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside of it.

      Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.

    Disability profiles supported in our website

    • Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
    • Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
    • Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
    • ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
    • Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
    • Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.

    Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments

    1. Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
    2. Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over 7 different coloring options.
    3. Animations – epileptic users can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
    4. Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
    5. Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
    6. Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
    7. Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.

    Browser and assistive technology compatibility

    We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers), both for Windows and for MAC users.

    Notes, comments, and feedback

    Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs, there may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to