Dr. David Zakarian Appointed as Haig and Isabel Berberian Professor of Armenian Studies at Fresno State

FRESNO — Dr. David Zakarian has been appointed as the Haig and Isabel Berberian Professor of Armenian Studies at Fresno State, joining the Armenian Studies Program for the fall 2024 semester. Dr. Zakarian was previously an associate faculty member of the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Oxford.

“The Armenian Studies Program welcomes Dr. Zakarian,” said Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Berberian Director of the Armenian Studies Program. “We look forward to his contribution to the continuing success of the Program.”

Dr. Zakarian received his DPhil in Oriental Studies from St. Antony’s College, University of Oxford. His dissertation was titled “The Representation of Women in Early Christian Literature: Armenian Texts of the Fifth Century.” He has extensive experience teaching classical and modern Armenian and the focus of his research is on the representation of women in early Christian Armenian sources, as well as the colophons of medieval Armenian manuscripts. He is the co-editor of Armenia Through the Lens of Time: Multidisciplinary Studies in Honour of Theo Maarten van Lint (Brill, 2022) and the author of Women, Too, Were Blessed: The Portrayal of Women in Early Christian Armenian Texts, Armenian Texts and Studies Series (Brill, 2021).

“As the Berberian Professor of Armenian Studies, I am eager to contribute my expertise and experience to further strengthen Fresno’s outstanding Armenian Studies Program,” said Dr. Zakarian. “I look forward to engaging with the community, fostering a deeper understanding of Armenian history and culture, and inspiring a new generation of students to explore and appreciate our rich heritage.”

Dr. Zakarian was drawn to apply for the Haig and Isabel Berberian Endowed Chair of Armenian Studies at California State University, Fresno because it represents one of the most esteemed positions in the field.

“It is both a tremendous honor and a profound responsibility to follow in the footsteps of the distinguished scholars, such as Dickran Kouymjian and Sergio La Porta, who have previously held this chair,” stated Dr. Zakarian. “At this stage in my academic career, I feel fully prepared and energized to embrace this challenge and contribute meaningfully to the legacy of excellence associated with this position.”

Dr. Zakarian was born in Hrazdan, Armenia, into a family of educators, with an Armenian father and a Pontic Greek mother. From an early age, his family instilled in him a deep appreciation for education, as well as a love for literature and history, which largely determined his future choice of career. It was during his time as a student at the Institute of Foreign Languages after V. Brusov in Yerevan that he met his wife, Marianna. They are proud parents of two children: son Robert, who is a scientist working in a biotechnology company in Oxford, and younger son, Dimitrios Levon, who is still in school and aspires to become a lawyer and a professional chess player.

Dr. Zakarian will be teaching Armenian language and Armenian literature courses for the fall semester.