SAS Holds Elections for 2015 Executive Council Officers

The Society for Armenian Studies (SAS) celebrated its 40th anniversary at its Annual Membership Meeting in Washington, D.C., on Sat., Nov. 22.

A new Executive Council was elected with Barlow Der Mugrdechian (California State University, Fresno) chosen as the new SAS president. Also elected were Vice President Bedross Der Matossian (University of Nebraska, Lincoln); Secretary Lilit Keshishyan (UCLA); Treasurer Sergio La Porta (California State University, Fresno); and advisors Tamar Boyajian (Michigan State University), Marc Mamigonian (National Association for Armenian Studies and Research), and Jean Murachanian (University of New England).

On behalf of the SAS, Der Mugrdechian thanked outgoing President Kevork Bardakjian (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor) and outgoing Secretary Ani Kasparian (University of Michigan, Dearborn) for their dedicated service.

“It is a privilege to be elected as the new president of the Society for Armenian Studies,” said Der Mugrdechian. “The SAS plays an important role as a forum for scholars to meet and exchange ideas. SAS members conduct research in many different fields, but in each case, it is related to the study of Armenia and the Armenian people. The research is shared with other academics and with the public at large, bringing greater awareness about Armenian culture.”

In 2014, SAS held several major activities to mark its 40th anniversary, including an international Armenian Studies Workshop in Yerevan, Armenia, from Oct. 3-5, with the participation of 44 scholars from Armenia and abroad. In November, it sponsored a two-day conference in Washington, D.C. on “Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in the 19-20th Centuries.”

This year, the SAS is planning several activities in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, including co-sponsorship of a major international conference with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Department of History and Humanitarian Affairs Program titled, “Crossing the Centennial: The Historiography of the Armenian Genocide Re-Evaluated,” which will take place from March 19-20.

The SAS annually publishes the peer-reviewed Journal of the Society for Armenian Studies, edited by Sergio La Porta, as well as a newsletter.

The SAS website, societyforarmenianstudies.com, provides information about events and activities. Readers who wish to financially support the SAS can become a member. The secretariat of the SAS is based in the Armenian Studies Program at California State University, Fresno. For more information, call (559)278-2669 or e-mail barlowd@csufresno.edu.