LONG-TIME EDUCATOR HASMIG TASHJIAN PASSES AWAY
asbarez
Monday, July 26th, 2010
Dr. Hasmig Tashjian
LOS ANGELES-Educator and long-time Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian
School teacher Dr. Hasmig Tashjian passed away Saturday, July 24.
“In her more than 30 years of service at Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian
School, Hasmig Tashjian became a pillar of the school and through
her commitment and dedication she educated generations of Armenian
students. Her leadership and kindness will be missed at the school,”
said Alex Pilibos Principal Nazo Apanian.
“On behalf of the administration, faculty, staff and the student body,
we mourn the loss of Hasmig Tashjian,” added Apanian.
Dr. Tashjian began her academic career at the American University of
Beirut, from where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree (1963)
and a Master of Arts degree (1965) in History. From there, she also
attained a teaching diploma. She continued her academic pursuits at
the University of California, Los Angeles – UCLA – where she earned
a second Master of Arts degree (1981), the degree of Candidate in
Philosophy and her Doctorate (1993) in Near Eastern Languages and
Cultures – Armenian Literature. The title of her dissertation was ” A
Study of Character Relationships in the Armenian Epic David of Sasun.”
She also held the California Teacher Credential for life.
Dr. Tashjian’s love for the Armenian heritage and culture was evident
in her dedication to the education of the Armenian youth. Her
impressive teaching career boasted 5 decades of service to their
education, both in Lebanon and in the United States.
In Beirut, she taught social studies at Taruhi Hagopian Secondary
School for Girls, and English Language and Literature at Levon and
Sophia Hagopian College.
In Los Angeles, she taught Armenian at UCLA’s Narekatsi Chair of
Armenian Studies, and held the position of lecturer of Armenian
Literature at the Mkhitarian Armenological Academy. Her experience
also provided her the opportunity to teach intensive Western Armenian
language in Armenia, at the State University of Yerevan in affiliation
with the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, as a Summer Institute,
which she did on four different occasions.
In Los Angeles, Hasmig became a pillar at the Alex Pilibos Armenian
School where she had 33 years of dedicated service. She was a most
loved and respected member of the faculty. She chaired the English
Department and oversaw the English program of the entire School.
Furthermore, she taught college level advanced English Language and
Literature courses to the upper classes. She witnessed the graduation
of every class that has walked through the doors at Pilibos in its
40 years of existence.
She was also an associate professor of Armenian Language and Culture
at the Pasadena City College, in Pasadena, California, where she
taught for the past 20 years.
Dr. Tashjian was a member of many cultural and academic organizations.
She held responsible positions in the Hamazkayin Eduacational and
Cultural Organization. She was a founding member of the Hamazkayin
Antelias Chapter in Lebanon; and while in Los Angeles, she had rendered
her services to the Los Angeles Chapter, which she had chaired for
a number of years. She had also been a member of the Hamazkayin
Regional Executive Committee. She was a member of such prestigious
organizations as the Society for Armenian Studies and the Middle
East Studies Association. In affiliation with these organizations,
she had participated in numerous symposiums and conferences delivering
public lectures both in Armenian and English.
Tashjian was a proud alumnae of Central High School. She strongly
believed that her sound foundations at CHS, both educational and
spiritual, were greatly conducive to the development of her personality
and achievements in life.
Funeral services for Dr. Tashjian will be held Thursday, July 29
at 2:30 p.m. at the Old North Church of Hollywood Hills Forest Lawn
Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the “Rose and Alex
Pilibos Armenian School Dr. Hasmig Tashjian Fund.”
From: A. Papazian