Yerevan State honors Fresno State

More photos of Welty trip

President John D. Welty and Fresno State were commended for the university’s academic relationship with Yerevan State University during Welty’s trip to the Armenian capital of Yerevan in June.

The rector, or president, of Yerevan State, Dr. Radik Martirosyan, presented Welty with the university’s gold medal, the institution’s highest award.

While there, Welty signed a five-year extension of the agreement that pledges the two universities to work together in areas of mutual interest, including business and Armenian history and language.   The YSU faculties of Economics and the Craig School of Business at Fresno State have been conducting a faculty development program in business and economics for the past five years under a grant from the Newly Independent States College and University Partnership Program.

It was Welty’s first trip to Armenia but the two universities have had ties since the late 1980s and formal working agreements since 1992.

Welty also visited the Armenian Agricultural Academy, where he was received by Rector Arshaluys Tarverdian and signed an agreement of cooperation.

While in Armenia, Welty also placed a wreath at Tsitsernakaberd, the Armenian Genocide Monument; had an audience with His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; and was honored at a reception by U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Ordway at the U.S. Embassy.

Fresno State Armenian Studies professors Dickran Kouymjian and Barlow Der Mugrdechian joined Welty for the visit at Yerevan State, the largest university in Armenia. The University was founded in 1919 and has about 10,000 students.

The goal of the NIS College/University Partnership Program between Fresno State and YSU is to contribute to economic and political stability in Armenia by fostering educational reform. Der Mugrdechian is the project director.

The project was assisted financially by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Information Agency under the authority of the Fulbright-Hays Act of 1961, as amended.