USC's Institute of Armenian Studies

[ckBejug]

Did you guys hear about this? USC now has an 'Institue of Armenian Studies' and I can not tell you how excited I am about this. I am definitely sad that this happened after I freaking graduated, but it is still such a great great great thing. I want to go to the dinner thing but it is too expensive, because they are trying to reach the goal of 1million dollars to go towards the opening of the institute. So awesome. :) :) :)

$500,000 Raised for USC Armenian Institute, Ahead of Feb. 13 Inaugural Gala Dinner

LOS ANGELES - The campaign leading to the February 13 Inaugural Gala
Banquet for funding USC's Institute of Armenian Studies has gone into
overdrive in response to unprecedented expressions of widespread financial
support from the Armenian community.

As a result of rapidly increasing commitments during December 2004, over
$500,000 has already been raised.

This is a great start towards the initial target of $1,000,000 to be
achieved by the time of the banquet which would permit the Institute to
begin its work as a distinguished center of Armenian academic, intellectual
and cultural life. An endowment fund of several million dollars will
eventually be needed for a fully functional institute.

The list of donors is growing exponentially by the ever-expanding ranks of
Armenian Trojan alumni, students, parents and friends of the University of
Southern California. Prospective donors are invited to make their pledges
as soon as possible to be included in the Institute's Honor Roll and
program listings, and to reserve a place at the February 13 Inaugural Gala
Banquet.

Early reservations are suggested because of the limited seating at USC's
Town & Gown Banquet Hall.

For further information contact Savey Tufenkian at (818) 956-8455, Noelle
Moss at (213) 740-4996, or Dr. R. Hrair Dekmejian at (213) 740-3619

Tax-deductible contributions & reservations should be sent to: USC
Institute of Armenian Studies Inaugural Dinner, USC College of Letters,
Arts & Sciences, 3551 Trousdale Parkway, ADM 204 Los Angeles, CA 90089-4015

[dstyle]

YA I heard about this, hopefully they will reach there overall goal.

[bell-the-cat]

"...would permit the Institute to begin its work as a distinguished center of Armenian academic, intellectual and cultural life."

That would be a first!

A far more likely scenario is it will become just another pointless ethnic ghetto producing nothing but mediocrity. Many experts have said that there should be no place for such race-specific institutions in legitimate academia. The only appropriate place for "a distinguished center of Armenian academic, intellectual and cultural life" would be Armenia - which could make far better use of those millions of dollars.

[ckBejug]

"...would permit the Institute to begin its work as a distinguished center of Armenian academic, intellectual and cultural life."

That would be a first!

A far more likely scenario is it will become just another pointless ethnic ghetto producing nothing but mediocrity. Many experts have said that there should be no place for such race-specific institutions in legitimate academia. The only appropriate place for "a distinguished center of Armenian academic, intellectual and cultural life" would be Armenia - which could make far better use of those millions of dollars.

How could you say that with all the resources at our fingertips here and the opportunity we will now have for our voice to be heard even louder and stronger, that it would be better to have this money funneled to open a similar-minded school in Armenia??! Sure, sure, better for the Turkish chair to have a great presence in schools across the US spreading their filthy BS lies about what happened and our histroy and not have a strong voice giving our dissenting facts to their completely horrible lies that people eat up for lack of a strong opposition. So now we have an Armenian voice coming from a very respectable University and you think it's a bad thing?