PRESS RELEASE
Fund for Armenian Relief
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Edina N. Bobelian
Tel: (212) 889-5150; Fax: (212) 889-4849
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
July 17, 2007
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FAR BOARD MEMBER, DR. ARAM V. CHOBANIAN, AWARDED ELLIS ISLAND MEDAL OF HONOR
Dr. Aram Chobanian’s paternal grandfather was killed by Turks in the late
1890s. His father left Van with one of his brothers to come to America in
1912 with the plan of earning enough money to help support his mother and
brother, who remained in Van until the upheaval in 1915 when they escaped to
Yerevan. With no hope of returning to Van, his father settled in Rhode
Island.
His mother and maternal grandparents also left Van after members of their
family were killed. They too ended up in Rhode Island. Dr. Chobanian’s
parents highlighted the importance of education for his two brothers and
him. Growing up the son of immigrants gave him a passion to help others
halfway around the globe by serving as a member of the Board of Directors of
the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR).
For his outstanding leadership and professional accomplishments, both in
education and for humanitarian causes, Dr. Chobanian was presented with the
Ellis Island Medal of Honor by NECO during a ceremony on May 12, 2007. The
medal honors individuals who lead lives that exemplify the American way of
hard work, self-improvement, and community service; who reinforce the bonds
between an ethnic community in America and its land of origin, and who
contribute to the greater good through their work and community service.
PASSION FOR MEDICINE
After attending Brown University, Dr. Chobanian went on to graduate from
Harvard Medical School. He stayed in Boston and became a faculty member at
the Boston University School of Medicine, where he has taught for more than
40 years.
Initially, Dr. Chobanian was a researcher of cardiovascular disease,
studying high blood pressure and how to cure injury to blood vessels.
Through his research, he was instrumental in developing a new class of drugs
to help lower blood pressure. Dr. Chobanian was the first recipient of the
Lifetime Achievement Award in Hypertension of the American Heart
Association. Among the many other honors he has received was his election
as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
In 1988, he was named Dean of Boston University School of Medicine and later
also as Provost of the Medical Campus. As Dean for 16 years, he built the
esteemed Medical School that we know today. Dr. Chobanian oversaw the
creation of the school’s Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute. He was
instrumental in the Medical School’s rapid evolution into one of the
nation’s foremost centers for pioneering research in the biological and
clinical aspects of cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Chobanian played a critical role in the merger of Boston City Hospital
with Boston University Medical Center Hospital to create Boston Medical
Center. His influence led to the development of the BioSquare Research Park
and to Boston University Medical Center’s receiving a $128 million federal
grant to build a national biocontainment laboratory.
>From 2003 to 2005, he served as President of Boston University. His
appointment came at a frenzied time: the Board of Trustees had fired Dr.
Chobanian’s predecessor before he even assumed the presidency, and
university entities were becoming segmented. Dr. Chobanian quickly regained
control and people’s attention. In just two years, he significantly
improved the University’s standing, both from within and without. His
tenure is marked as one of Boston University’s greatest.
SEEING THE HOMELAND
Dr. Chobanian first visited Armenia in 1970. He went back three times,
lecturing and participating in medical conferences, before the devastating
1988 earthquake.
"Before the earthquake there was no active program I was involved in. But
after the earthquake, I became much more committed," he said. "We set up
programs, not just because of earthquake relief, but to help in the long-run
by improving the infrastructure of healthcare in Armenia, providing better
emergency and trauma systems and better trained people."
By receiving grants from the U.S. Agency for International Development and
the International Atomic Energy Commission, Dr. Chobanian helped establish
several "train the trainers" programs to educate Armenian medical
professionals in a number of clinical areas.
"Developing important educational skills in the teachers was important in
ensuring a long-term effect on medical education in Armenia," he said.
He brought in his peers at Boston University and the University of
Massachusetts to create an exchange program that brought American doctors,
including non-Armenian doctors, to Armenia to train physicians there. He
also worked with U.S. atomic energy officials to create a program to train
Armenian doctors and other professionals on radiation issues. In all, he
steered $6 million in grants and funding to Armenia’s medical community.
Dr. Chobanian was elected as a Foreign Member of the Armenian National
Academy of Science and was presented with a Gold Medal from the Yerevan
Medical University. He was also presented with the St. Mesrob Mashdots
Medal from Catholicos Aram I.
JOINING FAR TO TAKE ON NEW CHALLENGES
In 2007, Dr. Chobanian joined the Board of Directors of the Fund for
Armenian Relief (FAR), one of the preeminent relief and development
organizations operating in Armenia.
"Working with FAR is a continuation of what I have done in terms of helping
with Armenia’s medical infrastructure and also providing high-quality
programs that improve research opportunities in Armenia, programs like
ANSEF," Dr. Chobanian said, noting the importance of FAR’s Armenian National
Science and Education Fund (ANSEF), which provides direct financial
assistance to academics and scientists in an effort to stop the brain drain
of Armenian intellectuals.
"FAR is an organization that is doing some wonderful things and I am pleased
to be associated with it," he added.
He said his current goals are to work with the Yerevan State Medical
University (YSMU) on a project to modernize its curriculum and help train
the faculty. In fact, during the July 2007 FAR Board of Directors trip to
Armenia, Dr. Chobanian was elected to serve as Chairman of the YSMU
International Board of Advisors (IBA). Other prominent Diasporan doctors
chosen to serve on the YSMU IBA include his fellow FAR Directors, Dr. Edgar
Housepian of Columbia University and Annette Choolfaian of New York Medical
College, as well as Dr. John Bilezikian of Columbia University, Dr. Richard
V. Aghababian of the University of Massachusetts, Dr. Ara Tekian of the
University of Illinois at Chicago, Dr. Vasken Der-Kaloustian of McGill
University, Dr. Hagop S. Akiskal of the University of California, San Diego,
Dr. Richard K. Babayan of Boston University, Dr. Nishan G. Goudsouzian of
Harvard University, and Dr. Roger V. Ohanesian of California.
"We are glad to have Dr. Chobanian on our Board," said FAR Board Chairman
Randy Sapah-Gulian. "His unique talents in medicine and academics bring a
wonderful insight into our planning. He truly is an example of the power of
an individual and certainly worthy of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor."
Dr. Chobanian is married to Jasmine (Goorigian), an artist, and has three
children.
ABOUT FAR
Since its founding in response to the 1988 earthquake, FAR has served
millions of people through more than 220 relief and development programs in
Armenia, Karabagh and Javakhk. It has channeled more than $265 million in
humanitarian assistance by implementing a wide range of projects, including
emergency relief, construction, education, medical aid, and economic
development.
FAR, one of the preeminent relief and development organization operating
there, is dedicated to realizing the dream of a free, democratic,
prosperous, and culturally rich Armenian Homeland. It works towards a
brighter future by partnering with donors to make life a little better for
our people. By offering hope and more promising prospects in Armenia,
Karabagh, and Javakhk, FAR binds the Diaspora and the Armenian family
together around the globe.
For more information on FAR or to send donations, contact FAR at 630 Second
Avenue, New York, NY 10016; telephone (212) 889-5150; fax (212) 889-4849;
web ; e-mail [email protected].
– 7/16/07
E-mail photo available upon request.
PHOTO CAPTION: Dr. and Mrs. Aram and Jasmine Chobanian with His Holiness
Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, during the FAR Board trip to
Armenia in July 2007.