Chrisdersark@ucla.edu
On November 7, 2009, Dr. Vartan Gregorian was honored “Professional of the Year” by the Armenian Professional Society.
Dr. Vartan Gregorian is the twelfth president of Carnegie Corporation of New York, and has previously served for nine years as the sixteenth president of Brown University. The Carnegie Corporation is a philanthropic organization founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1911, geared towards spreading education and knowledge. His profound effect on both the Armenian and American community is immeasurable and keen. An educator to thousands, hero to many, and admired by more, Dr. Gregorian’s legacy and astute insight will forever remain a part of education reform and progressive thought.
Gregorian was born in Tabriz, Iran, and went to high school in Lebanon. He then attended Stanford University, where he majored in history and humanities in 1958. He was later awarded a Ph.D. in humanities and history in 1964 from Stanford.
Gregorian has taught at many prominent schools such as University of Pennsylvania, Stanford, and UCLA. He has also held countless positions ranging from the founding dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science at the University of Pennsylvania, to the president of the New York Public Library. Obama recently appointed Gregorian to the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships, which is America’s most prestigious program for leadership and public service.“These types of honors are expected as you grow more educated,” Gregorian said. His proudest moment was when an elementary school in Providence Rhode Island was named after him.
On November 7, Gregorian addressed many issues in public education that both students and educators face today. He also spoke about his views regarding what it means to be an Armenian in America and the challenges we face to maintain our identity.
In his autobiography The Road To Home: My Life And Times, Gregorian discusses his past experiences and how they shaped him to be the unique and prominent figure he is today. “Usually, I wouldn’t discuss family business in public. However, if you don’t write your own history, somebody else is going to write it for you,” said Gregorian.
“I am happy to be here at a community who form the backbone of Armenian-American communities,” Gregorian said. He spoke of the importance of maintaining a strong cultural identity while taking advantage of American foundations, instead of deteriorating them, in order to enhance your opportunities as a bilingual speaker.
Gregorian also spoke about the abundance of information available for us to use at full advantage. “The most important thing is the communication of knowledge. We are [in] the age of knowledge,” he said. However, because each individual has access to infinite libraries of knowledge, there is a bigger burden on us to be much more critical thinkers. “Critical thinking is essential for personal liberation. We have resources in America and no excuses to be illiterate… with all the books we have, all the libraries, you cannot be ignorant unless you choose to be,” he said. Gregorian also warned us to be cautious of the subtle manipulation of media and its tremendous influence on the public.
Gregorian is a strong advocate for the unity of science and humanities in higher education. “Specialization is a part of source development in our civilization… we have a collapse of unity of knowledge into hundreds of sub-organizations and tens of sub-civilizations,” Gregorian said. “At Stanford,” he added, “the discovery of sciences is a quest to give meaning to the universe and all the laws. Science is liberating to men and women; it is finding the meaning of life.” He also proposed the idea of interdisciplinary practice (formerly known as “freshman clusters” at UCLA), where a group of professors in different subjects would come together to collectively teach a year-long theme, combining the sciences and humanities to give students an overall picture.
Gregorian has touched the hearts of thousands of students, educators, and intellectuals alike. Those that are lucky enough to have had Gregorian as their professor, colleague, or leader, know well enough the immense impact his work and service has done for educational reform. Incidentally, my father was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to take a class taught by Prof. Gregorian at University of Pennsylvania. He recalls the professor’s charisma, kindness, and intellectual insight as strong qualities everyone admired. Gregorian’s incredible dedication and generous contributions to academia has inspired thousands to succeed and thrive on the importance of knowledge in an age of information.
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