Scholar From Armenia at Fresno Start
Asbarez
Mar 19th, 2010
MARI KOSHKAKARYAN
>From Hye Sharzhoom
The Junior Faculty Development Program (JFDP) gives overseas scholars
the opportunity for professional development in the United States and
to study at an American university. Participants are selected by a
merit-based competitive process. Kristine Antonyan from Yerevan,
Armenia, demonstrated the capability to excel in the Program, and thus
was selected as a recipient of the JFDP grant for the Spring 2010
semester. She is contributing to the University by giving
presentations in different classes about economies in transition, and
about the Bologna process, which is the transformation of European
education.
Antonyan spent two days at an orientation at Kansas University, before
arriving at Fresno State. `All the participants are very vigorous,
young, and motivated faculty members in their universities. I am glad
I had a chance to get acquainted with them and gain new good friends.
I felt very happy to be selected,’ said Antonyan.
She was placed at Fresno State through her contact with Armenian
Studies Program Director Barlow Der Mugrdechian, who conducted a
Faculty Development Program at Yerevan State University, from
1999-2004. She had become familiar with some faculty who visited
Armenia and she considered Fresno State her ideal university for
placement.
A 29 years old, Antonyan graduated from Yerevan State University with
a specialty in Economics. Two years ago, her interest in economics led
her to pursue her Ph.D. from the same university. Antonyan’s interest
in improving the quality of Armenia’s educational system is based on
several factors: growing up in an family of teachers, being a young
scholar herself, and having a young child who attends school in
Yerevan.
`I will have a chance to realize my goal, to see what things are like
in the United States, and to make new connections. I plan to learn a
lot and implement what I have learned in my courses and in my
research,’ said Antonyan.
Antonyan further described why she wants to contribute to the
educational system in Armenia and why the need for development came
into effect. She commented that Armenia didn’t always have a need to
improve its educational system, but the collapse of the Soviet Union
meant a financial disaster for the educational system. Armenia was in
a struggle to find a way to save what remained of its educational
system.
Antonyan plans to sit in on various undergraduate and graduate courses
in her field of study, and to learn new ways to apply that knowledge.
She has also taken an interest in the field of educational leadership,
which will allow her to use those skills to help enhance Armenia’s
educational system.
The first thing that Antonyan liked as she stepped onto the Fresno
State campus was the friendly educational atmosphere. She also enjoyed
the fact that students are allowed to choose their own courses.
Students are given flexibility and freedom to choose their own
educational path – something she hopes Armenia can develop and implement
in their system.
Along with attending courses and giving lectures, Antonyan also is
working on writing a textbook on State Regulation of Economy that she
hopes to publish soon. She also hopes to write an article dealing with
the differences in the educational system between the United States
and Armenia.
Antonyan’s involvement with the JFDP program, and more specifically
with Fresno State, not only provide her with a glimpse of how
international educational systems differ, but also allows her to
interact with other faculty members from whom she can learn different
teaching styles.
`This program provides for professional development and the
opportunity to gain additional resources to help in her field,’ said
Armenian Studies Director and Professor Barlow Der Mugrdechian, `In
coming to Fresno State, she is also able to interact with the Armenian
community and the Armenian Studies Program.’
Antonyan has proven to be an ideal candidate for the Fulbright Program
with her desire to learn and to implement changes. Her passion for
education will allow her to grasp the important educational
developments at Fresno State and make her classroom an advanced
educational environment for her students. She will return to Yerevan
in May of this year.