Junior Faculty Development » JFDP 2010 Participants

Kristine Antonyan is a visiting scholar at the Craig School of Business at the California State University, Fresno. Kristine teaches at the Department of Economics at the Yerevan State University. 

JFDP Scholar Antonyan Visits Fresno State for Spring Semester

Visiting Fresno State professor offers insider's view of Armenia

When trying to sum up and present my first impressions, of course I can talk about American smile, manners, culture... But I would like to use this opportunity and tell about my understanding of the educational system in comparison with what we Armenians have.

The educational system here is constructed with such logic that it is difficult to talk about the mean level. The range of choices is very broad. There are good opportunities for each kind of a person based on his/her abilities. If you are a very, very talented person, then you will be able to get your maximum here. If you are less talented, then it will be easy for you as well to find your place in this system. In my country the upper and bottom brackets are not so far apart and, as a result, we have a small range in the educational level of our students (professionals in the future). The worst student has more knowledge in comparison with the same kind of a student here, but the best one has unfortunately for us less than the same type of person here. So, if the number of talented people grows in this country and these people find their worthy places in the end this country will continue to develop more and more. This is one minor, but very important thing we should change in our educational system in order to at least not lose our talented people."

Lilit Karapetyan studies at Towson University, Department of Psychology. She teaches same subject at the Armenian State Pedagogical University, School of Preschool, Primary and Special Education.

"I have always wanted to study abroad, and JFPD became the opportunity to experience myself how it is in the USA. But being in the USA provides you also a view about people and culture diversity. Here everything is so multiracial that the unilateral view that we have in our home country seems narrow. Here in the USA you face with a new cultural shock every day. One month has gone but so quickly. It has been so full of good and bad shocks that I think I can already write a whole book about my experience here. Before I had never had any experience with dealing with black people and it appeared that my landlord is a black woman which made me scared in the beginning, but now I can thank God that I stayed at her home. She has become a very good friend of mine, and she is a very educated, kind, generous person who tries to help me in each my step. The other shock was that I do not understand everyday English; it is so ridiculous that a month ago you were proud of your English knowledge but now you are like a child trying understand and construct your sentences.

I have still studied less than two weeks, as in the area where I am (Mid-Atlantic region), we have had such heavy snowstorms that some states here were totally paralized (no classes, no driving, no going out of home), which has not happened here since probably last century.

Being here this month was a big and new life experience and challenge of independence, self-evaluation and self-reliance. It's great!!!! It was an adventure!!!

I hope so much that my next months will be full of academic achivements and no weather circumstances won't disturb my primary activities here." 

Narine Khachatryan is an Associate Professor at her home school, Department of Psychology at the Yerevan State University. In the US she is being hosted by the University of Kansas, Department of Psychology.

"I have been in University of Kansas since December. My friends (JFDP fellows) and even my coordinator joke at me, calling me native resident of Lawrence. Initially, it had seemed to me that a month is enough to get acquainted with University and Lawrence, but after I understood that even one semester is extremely short for our purposes to understand US educational system, to obtain new teaching methodology, to collaborate with professional department, to attend classes and participate in different events as well as to observe professional relationships and compare with my country.

My first impression was the multinationalism and diversity of staff, faculties and students, which makes communication very interesting. The second was the educational and professional as well as cultural resources for all affiliates of KU, which make it like a small town with inherent subculture with many possibilities. And also I would like to mention the academic and scientific life in the campus with huge network, which impressed me not less.

My difficulties in KU have been connected only with language, especially speaking and listening, and especially in class discussions. Sometimes I am confused, because, students often speak so fast and inarticulately that I understand meaning post factum, and when I want to add something, they have already skipped to another topic.

Artak Manukyan is a JFDP visiting scholar at the University of Delaware, Lerner College of Business and Economics. He's a lecturer at the Department of Economics at his home institute Armenian State University of Economics, Gyumri branch.

"When I first entered the US universities (University of Delaware (UD) I felt the test of real educational life. Everything is very well organized and planned which gives you the sense that US Universities look like "State within State." I was impressed also with the opportunities/infrastructures which UD and state provides for students which have some disabilities. Sometimes I feel that the time is working rather quicker here comparing to Armenia.

Challenges: When I came the first challenge was the weather as this year was unusually cold here. Besides I found out that my advisor is out of the US (he has some project in Bulgaria), which combining with the fact that semester starts later in UD become a challenge for me. Anyway I took an initiative and manage to solve all issues. This experience let me to refresh my instincts and to become more confident.
Finalizing, I would like to mention that although USA is the most consumer oriented country all over world and I like everything in the USA very much, but I am still sometimes homesick. There is a saying "East or West, home is Best"!!!

Armenian Day at the University of Delaware (by Artak Manukyan, JFDP Fellow 2010)

"There is a tradition in University of Delaware that each day, is a day dedicated to one of the countries. Unfortunately while walking at museum of flags I notice that Armenian flag is not there, because of the fact that not all Americans know about Armenia.

I spoke with the staff of the Institute of Global Studies and they kindly agree that from April 23th-25 it will be an Armenia day in the UD. We figure it out that the best and easy thing is to order the flag from the Internet and when we did so, and it arrived, I was too much excited and honored to raise it. In fact the date was picked with the mind that April 24 is memorable day for all Armenian, when they respect the genocide of Armenians in 1915.

So I was really happy and proud that my University agreed to hold a flag honoring Armenia and myself, and I was standing there and explaining students some facts about Armenia. I enjoy the opportunity that furthermore the April 24 will be an Armenian day at the University of Delaware.

I would like to thank all staff of my University and in particular Marie Gleason, Program Coordinator, at University of Delaware, Institute for Global Studies, for helping me in organizational issues."

On April 27, Artak Manukyan made a presentation for Department of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management (HRIM) graduate students at the University of Delaware. Following this presentation, he was invited by Dr. Frederick J. DeMicco, University of Delaware Chair and Professor of HRIM Global Strategy & Development, to co-author a paper which will cover the presented ideas and will be submitted for publication.

Tigran Manukyan is an Associate Professor of the Architecture at the Yerevan State University of Architecture and Construction, Department of Architecture and Design of Architectural Environment Planning and also practicing architect. Currently, he is hosted by the Oklahoma State University, College of Engineering, Architecture & Technology.

"During the first period after my arrival to the U.S. the most significant was the feeling of positive predisposition toward American society, the highly organized public service system and the regulated situation of urban structures, which are promote people's concentration on their main work. Also, I want to highlight some of the characteristics of academic life in the U.S., such as the interrelation of professors and students, the highly developed library resources, and the independence of students in the process of generating ideas. I was also surprised to find out that students can eat during the lectures.

Secondly, it is important to highlight the way U.S. citizens, particularly university professors and staff, receive foreign visiting scholars. In those cities where I've been, the people are very kind and friendly; in any case they are ready to give useful advice and offer their help.

As for myself, and I believe for most of the JFDP scholars, it is important to be able to overcome difficulties of everyday life and the same time try to be involved in your main proposed work in higher educational system. I truly believe that all positive prerequisites of American lifestyle provide the opportunity for having success and being able to contribute to the development of the higher educational system of my home country, as well as the opportunity to obtain new friends, colleagues and to share experiences with them.

I wish to express my sincere thanks for the time we spent together with JFDP staff and fellows during the PDO in Kansas University. It was very enjoyable and informative.

I'm sending warm greetings from the Architectural School of Oklahoma State University to all the JFDP fellows of 2010 and wish all the best and success during this semester!"

On May 10, 2010 a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Yerevan State University of Architecture and Construction and the Oklahoma State University. The memorandum was signed by the JFDP fellow Tigran Manukyan, Associate Professor at Yerevan State University of Architecture & Construction and Mark Weiser, Interim Associate Vice President International Studies and Outreach of the Oklahoma State University. Professor Randy Seitsinger, the Head of School of Architecture at Oklahoma State University was present at the signing ceremony.

Tigran Manukyan spent one semester (January-May 2010) as a visiting professor at the School of Architecture of the Oklahoma State University. He believes that the Memorandum of Understanding will be a foundation-stone in the process of close collaboration between his home and US host universities and will help to promote the development of higher education in field of architecture in both countries.

Arevik Ohanyan is being hosted by the Center for International Higher Education at the Boston College. Arevik lectures at the Eurasia International University, Department of Economics.

As a fellow in the field of Education Administration I very closely try to scrutinize the activities of not only academic departments, but also of the various student services available on campus. I'm auditing courses that focus on education administration, as well as on the development of important university student services that make the experience an inclusive one. In general, the major conclusion so far is that in a society of opportunities, creativity and support, the ultimate responsibility of navigating and ensuring the desired experience lies upon you. The only limitation is that of time, which I am confident will not affect my upcoming plans for the rest of the semester."