The
ARS Eastern United States ARS
SUMMER STUDIES INSTITUTE June
5 – June 23, 2006 The Summer Studies Institute Features:
The
ARS Eastern USA provides free room, board & meals,
books,
Scholarships are available from the ARS Eastern USA and local ARS chapters. Click
HERE
to download an application for Click
HERE
to read comments
Established
in 1971, the Armenian Relief Society Summer Studies Institute has given college
and university students an introduction to Armenian language, Armenian ancient
and modern history, and Armenian literature.
For nearly three decades, students who have attended the three-week
program testify to being enriched and forever changed by the Summer Studies
experience. Some students often
pursue Armenian Studies degrees back at their institution of higher learning as
a direct result of their Summer Studies experience and all leave with a
life-long appreciation for their Armenian language, history, and culture.
There
is also an important and undeniable social component to the program. Life-long friendships are established at Summer Studies and Summer
Studies “classes” keep in touch with one another long after their Summer
Studies lessons end. Course Plan
Students
are required to attend all classes, typically held Monday through Friday from 10
a.m. to 5 p.m. Evening lectures,
panel discussions,
and cultural performances augment the Summer Studies lesson plan. Weekends are devoted to social activities and rest and relaxation.
Summer
Studies is founded on three core courses. Those core courses are Armenian
Language, Survey of Armenian History, and Armenian
Literature.
The
Survey of Armenian History course is worth three credits through the University of
Connecticut. Students may wish to
transfer these credits to their own institution of higher learning.
The
Armenian Language course is usually divided into two sections to accommodate the
needs of students just learning Armenian and those who have intermediate to
advanced knowledge of the spoken and written language.
In
addition to the core Summer Studies courses, one-week-long mini-courses are
offered to enrich the educational experience.
The mini-courses center on Armenian culture, including generally Armenian
dance, Armenian film, Armenian music, and Armenian art and architecture.
Other recent week-long mini-courses have included “Armenian Village
Life and Oral History,” “Armenian Art History,” “Medieval Armenian
Art,” “Modern Armenian Art,” and “The Armenian Cultural Experience.”
Evening
lectures and panel discussions have included “Armenian Women in
Turn-of-the-Century Iran: Education and Political Activity,” “Interships:
Acquaintances, Friendship, Courtship, Marriage,” “The Last 60 Years in
Soviet Armenia,” “Armenia and Karabagh,” and “The Armenian Cause.”
Cultural performances have included a concert by the Garni Folk Ensemble.
Where
appropriate, evening lectures, panel discussions, and cultural performances are
opened to the community-at-large for their education and entertainment. Director & Faculty
Since
the inception of the Armenian Summer Studies Program, the Armenian Relief
Society has hired directors and faculty who are experts in their field and have
the appropriate degrees of higher education.
The
ARS Eastern USA is proud to announce that the Summer Studies Director for 2005
is Professor Hayg Oshagan of Wayne State University.
Dr. Oshagan will administer the Summer Studies program.
Dr. Oshagan teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in Communications
at Wayne State. He is also editor
of the renowned journal of Armenian studies, The Armenian Review.
Dr. Oshagan received his undergraduate degree in both Communications and
Comparative Literature from the University of Pennsylvania; he received his
Master’s Degree and Ph.D. in Communications from the University of
Wisconsin-Madison. Professor Asbed Kotchikian will teach the Summer Studies three-credit Survey of Armenian History course. He received his Ph.D. in Political Science from Boston University. He is a Visiting Professor at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in New York where he teaches courses on the South Caucasus, the Middle East and International Relations. His area of research includes the foreign policies of small states; the modern political history of the post-Soviet South Caucasus; issues of national identity and Armenian-Georgian relations. He has spent a considerable time in Armenia and Georgia as a researcher and instructor at the local universities. The rest of the Summer Studies faculty are;
Marc Nichanian,
Literature Professor at
Ohannes Salibian,
former Music Professor at
Christopher
Atamian, Film Professor at Talinn Grigor, Teaches History of Art and Architecture at Cornell University
The Student Body Summer Studies students must be enrolled in a college or university to attend Summer Studies. Students apply from all over the world. Past students have hailed from as far away as France, the Middle East, and, increasingly, Armenia. The ARS Board of Regional Directors selects Summer Studies students.
Program Funding
The
ARS Eastern USA funds the Summer Studies Program, including faculty salaries,
student room and board, and facility costs.
Students pay a $350 application fee, the costs associated with the
three-credit course ($827 according to UConn’s per credit
fee schedule) transferable to their own institution of higher learning, and are
responsible for their travel expenses to and from Summer Studies.
The
ARS Eastern USA Board of Regional Directors will select two students to each
receive a $600 scholarship to defray their Summer Studies three-credit course
expenses to the University of Connecticut.
The awards will be based on merit and will be given in the sole
discretion of the ARS Eastern USA Board of Regional Directors. The two lucky
students will be informed by the ARS Eastern USA Board of Regional Directors
when they receive their letter of acceptance into the Summer Studies Institute
at the University of Connecticut. Interested individuals who still have more questions about Summer Studies may call the ARS Eastern USA office at (617) 926-3801 or e-mail the office at arseastus@aol.com. You may also download the Summer Studies application in Adobe PDF format by clicking here. |
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