The Armenian Students Association hosted a “Family Day” event Sunday with a recurring theme: “Many pieces, one Bruin family.”
The student group held the event to illustrate how the Armenian Students Association uses social and cultural events, philanthropy and academic support to create a distinctive Armenian community on campus, said Iren Tatevosyan, president of ASA.
The first Family Day was instituted by the organization last year but was much smaller than this year’s event, said the third-year political science student.
The event was attended by current UCLA students and their families as well as by high school and community college students who are considering applying to UCLA.
Many Armenian students come from schools and communities highly influenced by Armenian culture, said Mariam Tsaturyan, ASA’s cultural director.
The goal of Family Day was to show that there is a community for Armenian students on campus, she added.
Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Janina Montero gave a speech at the event, which was held in the Ackerman Grand Ballroom.
She spoke of the importance of family to an institution such as UCLA and encouraged parents to take an active role in their children’s college experiences.
Several student-produced videos were shown to illustrate the lives of UCLA’s Armenian students.
One video, which followed a day in the life of several Armenian students, compared the experience of a commuting student to that of a student living on campus.
This highlighted one of the main goals of the event, which was to alleviate the fears of many parents about letting their children live on campus, Iren Tatevosyan said.
Armenian culture is very family-oriented and it is often difficult for Armenian parents to let their children go, Tatevosyan said.
It is important for them to know that there is a supportive Armenian community on campus for students to become a part of, she added.
Lusine Martirosyan, a senior at Pasadena High School who attended the event, said that her parents were hesitant about allowing her to live away from home.
She said she plans to attend community college for two years, and she hopes that her parents will eventually allow her to live off-campus as a transfer student to UCLA.
The event was also designed to highlight the many cultural events put on by the Armenian Students Association each year, Tsaturyan said.
A video showing the reenactment of a traditional Armenian wedding at Bruin Plaza last year was an important highlight.
A slideshow highlighted other cultural and social events put on by ASA, including the commemoration of the 1915 Armenian genocide that has become an important part of the association’s interaction with the campus.
ASA members also spoke about the Armenian Cultural Festival that the group is planning for later this year.
The event will take place in January, Tatevosyan said, and will serve to introduce non-Armenian students to many aspects of the culture, such as traditional song, dance and food.
A panel of students also spoke to attendees about a range of important topics, from dorm life to social events.
After the panel spoke, students and parents were encouraged to ask questions regarding life at UCLA.
The interaction with ASA members is key in allowing students and parents to feel comfortable with life at UCLA, Tatesvosyan said.
Martirosyan was surprised to learn about the scope of the Armenian community at UCLA.
She attended Family Day with Daniel Boyadjian, a first-year student at Orange Coast College who was also surprised by the level of the Armenian cultural involvement on campus.
“We’re definitely more excited to go here now,” Martirosyan said.
Both Martirosyan and Boyadjian also expressed interest in the campus’ Armenian Greek organizations, which were also represented at the event.
Isabel Karamanukyan, president of Alpha Gamma Alpha, UCLA’s Armenian sorority, said that Armenian parents often have strong stereotypes about sorority life.
Members of the sorority spoke to many students and parents at the event to dispel these stereotypes, she said, and to show that Alpha Gamma Alpha aims not only to preserve Armenian culture among its members, but also to provide them with academic support and community service opportunities.
Krikor Moloya, social director of the Armenian Students Association, spoke on behalf of Alpha Epsilon Omega, UCLA’s Armenian fraternity.
The organization has a strong focus on philanthropy as well as Armenian language, culture and history, he said. Presentations were also given by several professors from the Armenian studies department.
Peter Cowe, professor of Armenian studies at UCLA, spoke to guests about opportunities within the Armenian studies department as well as about the importance of Armenian culture on campus.
The Armenian Students Association has close ties to professors and faculty from the Armenian studies department, Tatesvosyan said, and Cowe’s presentation helped to represent this.
The event conveyed the close-knit, supportive nature of UCLA’s Armenian community.
“This is the kind of event that connects institutions like UCLA to the community and to other cultures,” Montero said.
“I look forward to many more.”
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