PAGE 8, THE CALIFORNIA COURIER, DECEMBER 4, 2014 and Lucy Varpetian (’96), Senior Assistant City Attorney, City of Glendale. The discussion was moderated by Vice Dean and ALSA advisor, Anahid Gharakhanian, who has been instrumental in the success of many Southwestern students, alumni, and members of the Armenian-American legal com- munity. Over fifty law students spent their lunch hour with the attorneys where they also had the opportunity to ask questions and seek advice regarding particular courses and honors programs, as well as networking and inter- Dr. Matthew Jendian receives the Trailblazers for Prosperity Award viewing skills. from SEFCEDA CEO Jose Leon Barraza. “It was an incredible honor to have Ms. Çetin, along with Panelists, Southwestern Law School faculty, and students with Turk- members of the Armenian Bar Prof. Matthew Ari Jendian ish attorney and human rights activist Fetihye Cetin (front, center-left) Association, with us on campus today. As aspiring young Arme- Receives Trailblazer Award Southwestern Law’s ALSA nian-American lawyers, the pan- FRESNO – Dr. Matthew Ari versity Advisory Board at Fresno elists only reinforced our strong Jendian was honored along with State in recognition of integrity, desire to work hard and serve Hosts Panel with Fetihye Çetin eight other community leaders leadership and commitment to our community,” said ALSA co- LOS ANGELES—On Nov. 19, rights attorney and prominent au- presidents Tonya Barseghian and at the third Annual Trailblazers the university and community; the Armenian Law Students As- thor, Fethiye Çetin, who defend- Emma Moralyan. for Prosperity Awards Luncheon the 2008 “Provost’s Award for sociation (ALSA) hosted a panel ed Hrant Dink and represents his Southwestern Law School has by the Southeast Fresno Com- Faculty Service”; the 2007 “So- of Armenian-American South- family in the prosecution of his the largest Armenian-American munity Economic Development cial Action Award” from Temple western Law School alumni, and assassins. student population among the Association (SEFCEDA) on No- Beth Israel; and the 2007 “Amigo special guest Fetihye Çetin from The other panelists were: Ge- nation’s law schools and will be vember 12, 2014 at the Fresno Award,” presented by Vida en El Turkey, who discussed their ex- rard Kassabian (Class of ’02), hosting a prospective Armenian- periences during and after law Principal Attorney, Law Offices Fairgrounds. Valle to a non-Latino individual American student event on cam- school, and their legal careers in of Gerard Kassabian; Tigran Each year the Board of Direc- or Organization that has worked pus on January 31, 2015. For private practice, academia, hu- Palyan (’09), Adjunct Associate tors of SEFCEDA nominates tirelessly on behalf of the Latino inquiries about the January 31 man rights advocacy, and govern- Professor & Associate Attorney, and selects individuals that have community. He was nominated event or Southwestern’s ALSA, ment practice. Trope and Trope, LLP; Janet Na- opened the trails for the prosper- for the 2009 “California Campus please email swlawschoolalsa@ The panel included the special lbandyan (’04), Adjunct Profes- ity of future generations and for Compact Cone Award” for Excel- gmail.com. guest, renowned civil and human sor & Senior Counsel, Dykema; the benefit of others. lence & Leadership in cultivating Recognized for their leadership Community Partnerships and has in Education and Training, each written and received national and ’s Oldest Hotel Has Seen its Best Years of the recipients was introduced federal grants to develop curricu- Your Middle East liers in Aleppo in his family. Ataturk, the founder of modern by KFSN-ABC 30 News Anchor la that engage university students Indifferent to the sniper fire and His great-grandfather Krikor Turkey, while Room 215 was Graciela Moreno who served as in capacity-building work with shelling around him, the owner of opened the family's first hotel, where King Faisal I of Iraq and the oldest hotel in 's Aleppo named Ararat after the mountain Syria stayed. Master of Ceremonies, and SEF- Community Benefit Organiza- sits gloomily in the storied prop- revered by , in the sec- Lawrence of Arabia stayed in CEDA Board President Dr. Nellie tions (CBOs) in Central Califor- erty he has been forced to close. ond half of the 19th century. Room 202 and Christie preferred Neri and CEO Jose Leon Barraza nia. Just a few meters from the front In the Baron's lobby, on a yel- Room 203 for her visits. presented the awards. Dr. Jendian has served as a line separating government and lowing wall, an advert from the "I met her in 1959, but I was too Several of Dr. Jendian’s former board member for several CBOs rebel forces in the city, Armen 1930s can still be seen. "Hotel young to know why she was im- students were in attendance to including Nonprofit Leadership Mazloumian smokes a cigarette Baron, the only first-class hotel in portant, I only learned that later," on the terrace of the Baron Hotel. Aleppo," it proclaims. said Mazloumian. honor and congratulate him. Alliance (formerly American The hotel was founded in 1911 "Central heating throughout, "She came every year with her Jendian is a tenured Full Profes- Humanics, Inc.), Buchanan Babe by Mazloumian's grandfather, complete comfort, uniquely situ- husband, the archeologist Max sor and Chair of Sociology at Cal- Ruth Baseball Association Inc., whose name it bears, and was ated. The only one recommended Mallowan, who did excavations ifornia State University, Fresno Fresno Nonprofit Advancement once the fanciest in Aleppo, Syr- by travel agencies." at Chagar Bazar and Tell Brak" in and founding Director of Fresno Council, Fresno Housing Alli- ia's former commercial hub. Nowadays, it's a different story. northeastern Syria. State’s Humanics Program. (Hu- ance, and Relational Cultural In- In 1958, Egyptian president Everything inside seems outdated Every Syrian president except delivered and dusty -- the reception hall, the Nureddin al-Atassi has stayed at manics@FresnoState) transforms stitute and as an external evalu- a speech here. It was also at the telephones, the polished wooden the hotel. lives and perspectives on leader- ator with local and multinational Baron that Agatha Christie wrote bar with empty liquor bottles. Hafez al-Assad, father of Syr- ship and philanthropy and posi- CBOs, including Porterville Col- parts of "Murder on the Orient The roof has been perforated ia's current President Bashar al- tively impacts individuals, orga- lege and the Armenian General Express". by incoming shell fire, with water Assad, visited the Baron shortly nizations, and communities. Benevolent Union. But since fighting arrived in the leaking inside when it rains. after the coup that brought him to He was born and raised in Fres- Jendian is a lifetime member of city in 2012, paying clients have Rooms that once hosted ce- power in 1970. dwindled to zero and the once- lebrities and political leaders are "There were so many famous no and received his Bachelor of Alpha Kappa Delta International glamorous building is falling into empty, or home to a handful of people who came here that if I Arts in Sociology and minor de- and an ordained Deacon of the disrepair. displaced families who have been started listing them all for you grees in psychology and Arme- Armenian Church. He and his "It's been nearly four years since allowed to take refuge in the ho- I wouldn't finish before tomor- nian Studies from Fresno State wife, Pam, reside in Clovis with the war began and I see nothing tel. row morning," he said, ticking (1991) and his Ph.D. from USC their sons, Joshua and Nicholas. that inspires any optimism in me, The hotel is not far from the off names like billionaire David (2001). He authored “Becom- quite the contrary," says 63-year- Aleppo Museum, which has been Rockefeller, former French lead- ing American, Remaining Eth- old Mazloumian, unshaven and closed since the war began, and er Charles de Gaulle and aviator Keep Your Friends wearing a blue woollen hat. near the rebel-held Bustan al-Qa- Charles Lindberg. nic” (LFB Scholarly Publishing, Informed The conflict, which started sr district. "But this is all in the past now. 2008) and was honored in Menk, with anti-government protests in "You think all this will stop? Honestly, the hotel will never go an encyclopedia of biographies of About Armenian News; March 2011 and has since spi- It will take years," Mazloumian back to how it was," Mazloumian prominent Armenian scholars. Subscribe Them ralled into a brutal civil war, has says over the sound of gunfire. sighed, stroking Sasha, his black Dr. Jendian is the recipient of to the Courier ravaged large parts of the historic Many of the hotel's rooms are terrier. several honors, including the second city. forever linked to the famous Call (818) 409-0949 or "The best years are behind us 2012 “President’s Award of Ex- Mazloumian is the last of four guests who once stayed in them now." e-mail: [email protected] generations of Armenian hote- - Room 201 was that of Kemal cellence” presented by the Uni-