Armenian Club at Tufts Reinstated

By Knar Bedian

The Armenian Club of Tufts University received (re-)recognition from the Tufts Community Union Judiciary.

After two years of hosting unofficial meetings and events, on Thurs., Sept. 27 the Armenian Club of Tufts University finally received (re-)recognition from the Tufts Community Union Judiciary (TCUJ). While in the past the Tufts Armenian Club had a strong membership, over the years its numbers waned, and eventually the club lost recognition. Determined to make the club official again, I wrote up a constitution using the knowledge gained from my years in the AYF, and worked with fellow Tufts student Lisa Setrakian to bring together Armenians and non-Armenians alike.

Together, Lisa and I attended meetings required for the recognition process, continued to update our (unofficial) members with upcoming events in the local community, and met with the Armenian Students’ Associations (ASA) and Armenian Clubs of Boston-area universities to support each other and plan joint events. Finally, last Thursday night, with a new constitution and more than the required 15 signatures in hand, Lisa and I attended the final meeting with the TCUJ. After answering questions and clarifying our purpose and goals, we anxiously awaited their decision. Our hard work paid off: The Armenian Club is now an official organization of Tufts University.

We look forward to continuing our collaborations with the ASAs and Armenian Clubs of the Boston Area, and would like to thank them for all of their support throughout these past two years.

On Sept. 30, the Tufts Armenian Club took part in the Boston Armenian Students Reception held by the Boston University ASA. The reception began with opening remarks from the executive of Boston University’s Armenian Students’ Association, followed by a presentation by Professor Payaslian of Boston University. Shortly afterwards, the club members representing a number of Boston-area colleges, including Northeastern, Tufts, BU, MIT and MCPHS, discussed goals for the coming year and planned events for the coming months. Those in attendance then socialized over food and talked with their fellow members.

Readers interested in joining their respective Armenian Club can e-mail armenianclubs.boston@gmail.com.

Knar Bedian is a member of the Chicago ‘Ararat’ AYF Chapter and a junior at Tufts University. She is on the AYF Public Relations Committee and she can be found at most AYF events, taking official photos for the organization.