On April 16th and 17th, 2019,  Assistant Professor of the Department of French Language and Literature  of YSUIB Aida Mardanyan had a meeting with 11th graders of Ijevan High School and 10-12th graders of Ijevan College.

 The lecturer of the same Department Davit Margaryan attended the meeting at Ijevan High School.  The University representatives introduced the “French Language and Literature” specialty and its opportunities.

 Mrs. Mardanyan underlined that the best students, in their third and fourth year of study, have an exceptional opportunity to travel to France for passing their internship at the “Maestris” School in Valence, sister city of Ijevan, get acquainted with Paris, Lyon, and Marseille.  It was also mentioned that the philanthropic fund founded by French-Armenian benefactor Paulet Coutan covers  the tuition fees of students in their 2-4^th year of study, enrolled in a paid system.

 Unlike other universities and other specialties, students of  “French Language and Literature” study English from the 1st year and are able to become both French and English specialists.

At the end of the visit, A. Mardanyan touched upon other specialties, where French is an admission exam or an important subject (“Finance”, “Tourism”) and added that knowledge of a foreign language opened great opportunities in any field.

 On April 16th, 2019, we had an interview with YSU Ijevan Branch graduate of 2008 academic year, manager of “Ararat Bank” OJSC Ijevan Branch, Tagvor A. Mantashyan.

– Please tell us your birth date and place.

– I was born in 1987, in Ijevan.

– Tell us please a little bit about your family.

– My parents are engineers, my father, in the fields of electronics, mother, in the field of food industry. My brother Vaghinak Mantashyan graduated from YSUIB Faculty of Natural Sciences, Bachelor’s of the Department of Applied Mathematics and Physics, now works as an engineer.

– What was your childhood dream?

– At the age of pre-school, I dreamed of becoming crane-driver, later a pilot.

– What education did you receive?

– I have left Ijevan # 5 Secondary School. In 2008, I graduated from YSUIB Faculty of Natural Sciences and got a bachelor’s degree. In 2010, I graduated from YSU, Master of the Faculty of Physics.

– What role did YSU IB education have in your life?

– YSUIB education is the basis of my knowledge and skills. Particularly, the study of accurate sciences has given the flexibility of thought, the ability to orient rapidly, and rational thinking.

– What work experience do you have?

– My work experience started at Ijevan Branch of “Ararat Bank” OJSC, first as a credit specialist, then deputy manager and now as a manager.

– What is your favorite book?

– Hans Werner Richter’s novel, which I read during my military service.

– What is the last book you read?

– If I do not mention a book from the specialized literature, then “Up from Slavery” by Booker Washington.

– What music do you prefer and what is your favorite song?

– I do not have a preferred style of music. The list of favorite songs is varied. I will mention Ukrainian and Polish folk songs, which I recently started to listen with great pleasure.

– What is your favorite movie?

From the USSR films, I will mention “A Bride from the North”, “We are Our Mountains” and among modern movies “The Ninth Company”, “The Shawshank Redemption”.

– Do you have a favorite sport?

– I prefer football.

– What is your favorite place in Armenia and abroad?

– In Armenia, Lastiver, Dadivank, Dzermadzur, Istisu (Artsakh is also Armenia). I have not been abroad a lot. From the places I visit, I will mention Mtskheta, Moscow, Tuapse. I would like to see Rome, Alestone Park.

– What qualities do you value in people?

– Honesty, patriotism, decency.

– Do you have favorite quote or slogan?

– I’m not guided by slogans.

– What will you never do?

– You will never know what you’ll do in different situations.

-“What are you afraid of?”

– I do not think of fears.

-“Why are you sorry?”

– I do not regret.

– What helps you make a decision in difficult situations?

-Looking at the problem profoundly, my experience and precedent, the correct assessment of risks.

– What do you think is the biggest achievement of your life?

– My family, my relatives and friends.

– What is your formula for success?

– Hard Work, dedication, self-development.

– What is the most invaluable advice you have received?

– I’ve got a lot of advice. I find it difficult to mention one. I have benefited from each one of them.

– What is the main message that you would give to young people (in particular, YSUIB students)?

– Young people, especially YSUIB students, I would recommend using every single moment to learn something new, to get the maximum of the classes. In a rapidly changing world, knowledge and information are of paramount importance, so it is necessary to constantly self-develop. Dear students do not be afraid to make a mistake, because the only man who never makes a mistake is the man who never does anything.

– Thank you so much for the interview.

Interviewed by YSUIB Public Relations and Press responsible Hasmik Vanyan

 On April 15^th, 2019, YSU Ijevan Branch Library hosted the presentation of the books published by the Armenian-American writer Vardges Davtyan, at the initiative of Tavush regional and YSU Ijevan Branch libraries.

The event was attended by the members of Tavush Regional Library, members of the administrative and professorial staff of Ijevan Branch of Yerevan State University, students and guests.

 Vladimir Poghosyan, Head of YSU Ijevan Branch Library, made an opening speech, particularly mentioning “Today, we’ll try to touch upon the writer, publicist, psychiatrist Vardges Davtyan’s literary merit.  Vardges Davtyan, as a doctor, a psychiatrist, made an attempt to give artistic figure to his professional views and hand over to the paper.  Writer Vardges Davtyan has  published books since 1988 (“Andranik Mehrabyan, Yerevan, 1988,”Psychiatrist Invites to an Interview”, Yerevan, 1992,”The Intellectual and Neurosis “, Yerevan, 1994,” Why Anush Was Distorted “, Yerevan, 1994, etc.). Vardges Davtyan’s works of American stage worth mentioning are: “Stop The World, I Want quit”, Los Angeles, 2002, “Desire and Despair of Armenian-Americans“, “Legitimate jokes at the moment of seriousness”, Los Angeles, 2012  , “Fairy Tales about America”, Los Angeles, 2017, “Reflections on the Saddle”, Yerevan, 2016, “Godmother“, Los Angeles, 2017).

 Director of Tavush Regional Library A. Ghukasyan  highlighted in her speech the necessity of the connection between Vardges Davtyan and the reader, noting that owing to Vardges Davtyan’s works the reader appears in the American Armenian reality, become conscious of the loss of national identity and national values.

Aida Sarhatyan, Associate Professor of the Department of Armenian Language and Literature of YSUIB, made a literary analysis of Vardges Davtyan’s “Fairy Tales about America”.  “Vardges Davtyan is a new name in our literature: he presents the reader  a collection of his works in new colors and introduces a country beyond the ocean, for some people a country of paradise, a symbol of freedom and enrichment, for some a country of despair and discouragement, and for some, a world full of faith, to help a family left behind in poverty, a ray of hope and faith out of the heavy social conditions…

“Here are “Fairy-tales about America” psychological novels that have cognitive and educational values … There are no bright colors, the light does not illuminate the images … The Good does not  win over the Evil, there are no unreal and imaginary cases and figures.  The heroes somehow appear in America, and though they are ill and alone, but live with the hope, longing for human love and affection … “

 Alisa Hasanyan, Associate Professor of the Department of Armenian Language and Literature of YSUIB, touched upon the novel “Reflections on the Saddle”.  “The genre for me is very interesting.  The author has written his experiences, feelings, and years of excitement excitingly in his narrative hints. The author owing to strong psychoanalysis reveals his heroes, their inner world.  The social-political realities of our time are being revolted in the spirit of the author, which are unique hints of artistic reproduction. Regardless the distance from the motherland, the author preserves the Armenian spirit and the traditional in his soul.

At the end of the event,  Liana Bazinyan, YSUIB graduate, worker of Tavush regional library, made the literary analysis of “Godmother” book.

  On April 3-12th, 2019, the representatives of YSUIB Educational-Methodological Department and various lecturers delivered professional orientation lectures at four villages of Ijevan, Ayrum, 3 villages of Berd region, Gegharkunik region, Tsovagyugh Secondary School and 11th and 12th graders of Dilijan High School.

 Pavel Asilbekyan, Assistant Professor of Tourism Management and Cultural Studies Department, delivered a lecture at Sarigyukh and Khashtarak Secondary schools.

Slavik Alaverdyan, Inspector of  Professional Orientation and Practice Department, Lecturer of the Department of General Mathematics and Natural Sciences, and Lianna Beginyan, PhD, Assistant, Head of Professional Orientation and Practice Department, had meetings at the secondary schools of Ayrum, Archis, Ptghavan and Bagratashen.

 Arkadi Davtyan, Head of the Educational-Methodological Department, and Lianna Beginyan, Head of Professional Orientation and Practice Department had meetings with students of Tsovagyugh High School and Dilijan High School, Dilijan State and Dilijan State Medical College.

Alisa Hasanyan, PhD, Associate Professor of the Department of Armenian Language and Literature, and Lecturer of the Department of Armenian History and Social Sciences Vladimir Poghosyan had meetings with students of Vazashen, Paravakar and Tsakhkavan Secondary Schools.

 Slavik Alaverdyan, Inspector of Professional Orientation and Practice Department, Lecturer of the Department of General Mathematics and Natural Sciences, who attended the meetings in most of the above-mentioned schools, also had meetings at Tsakhkavan and Tavush Secondary schools.

 At the meetings, YSUIB representatives introduced the specialties  available at YSU Ijevan Branch and its opportunities, distributed booklets, answered students’ questions.

On April 8, 2019, YSU Ijevan Branch delegation returned from Valence, France to Ijevan.

Let us remind that at the invitation of “Armenian Cultural Heritage and Friends” Association, YSUIB several students (4th year students of “French Language and Literature” specialty Emma Shahnazaryan, Luara Gevorgyan, Lusya Ghalachakhyan, 3rd year student of “French language and Literature” Hranush Davtyan and ” Service “3rd year student Mariam Meliksetyan) under the supervision of Aida Mardanyan, Acting Head of the Department of French Language and Literature, passed training and qualification courses at “Maestris” University of Valence, improving their knowledge of French.

The trainings were organized at the highest level, the students were actively involved in the learning process, they developed their professional knowledge and skills and at the end of the course, received certificates.

The program of the visit consisted of educational and cultural parts. Within the framework of the visit, students accompanied by Gohar Danset-Hamzyan and Silvy Bochian-Basmachyan visited Marseille and admired the sights of that ancient city.

On March 29-31, they visited Paris, particularly Louvre, Montmartre, Champs-Elysées Avenue, Concord Square, Luxemburg Park, admiring the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral.

The group returned to Armenia with unforgettable impressions, with a great sense of gratitude to host families and all supporters.

The next visit will take place in March 2020.