{"id":28020,"date":"2026-04-22T12:16:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T16:16:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/?post_type=story&#038;p=28020"},"modified":"2026-04-22T12:16:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T16:16:11","slug":"meet-the-clark-student-who-advocated-for-massachusetts-to-recognize-april-as-armenian-american-heritage-month","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/22\/meet-the-clark-student-who-advocated-for-massachusetts-to-recognize-april-as-armenian-american-heritage-month\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the Clark student who advocated for Massachusetts to recognize April as Armenian-American Heritage Month"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-here-you-re-not-just-a-number-you-re-seen-as-a-person\">&#8216;Here, you\u2019re not just a number; you\u2019re seen as a person&#8217;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Anahit Marutyan \u201929 remembers relocating from Armenia to Worcester in 2021. As the first Armenian student to attend her high school (in addition to her brother), she found herself constantly having to explain her culture and history, often pointing out Armenia\u2019s location on the political map.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Anahit_Marutyan_2026-004-1024x683.avif\" alt=\"student holds proclamation in library\" class=\"wp-image-28023\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.4993184716176406;width:399px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Anahit_Marutyan_2026-004-1024x683.avif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Anahit_Marutyan_2026-004-300x200.avif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Anahit_Marutyan_2026-004-768x512.avif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Anahit_Marutyan_2026-004-1536x1024.avif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Anahit_Marutyan_2026-004-1200x800.avif 1200w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Anahit_Marutyan_2026-004.avif 1849w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Anahit Marutyan \u201929 holds a proclamation recognizing April as Armenian-American Heritage Month in Massachusetts.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Fiercely passionate about sharing her Armenian heritage and highlighting the significant contributions of Armenian Americans to the well-being of the Commonwealth and beyond, Marutyan, while still a high school student, began advocating for Gov. Maura Healey to issue a proclamation recognizing April as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thearmenianreport.com\/post\/massachusetts-declares-april-as-armenian-heritage-month\">Armenian-American Heritage Month<\/a> for the years 2025 and 2026. The timing is especially meaningful, she notes, because April 24, 1915, marks the beginning of the Armenian Genocide, when Ottoman authorities arrested, exiled, and executed Armenian intellectuals in the capital, Constantinople. Between 1915 and 1923, approximately 1.5 million ethnic Armenians, citizens of the Ottoman Empire, were systematically killed through mass executions, starvation, deportations, abduction, and medical experimentation. Among the victims were an estimated 250,000 children. In addition, the Baku and Sumgait pogrom of 1988-1990 caused further devastation and displacement for Armenians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-group alignright boxout has-white-color has-dark-orange-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-38aa6f210527817be6ef1874f5897665 is-content-justification-left is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-12dd3699 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-understanding-issues-locally-and-globally\">Understanding issues locally and globally<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/programs\/major\/political-science-ba\/\">Major in political science<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/programs\/major\/international-development-and-social-change-ba\/\">Major in international development<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/programs\/41-accelerated-masters-degree\/\">Explore the 4+1 Accelerated Master&#8217;s Degree program<\/a><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n\n\n\n<p>After countless hours spent conducting research and fact-checking, Marutyan\u2019s proposal was accepted on her second submission. In April 2025, the governor\u2019s office issued the statewide proclamation recognizing what Marutyan describes as \u201ca month of reflection, learning, and understanding, not only just about the genocide, but also about how Armenians rebuilt their lives afterward.\u201d The proclamation was renewed in 2026, further acknowledging the resilience, suffering, and contributions of Armenian Americans in the Commonwealth. Additionally, at Marutyan\u2019s request, the city of Worcester raised the Armenian flag in front of City Hall, with State Sen. Robyn Kennedy amplifying the effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, Marutyan is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/programs\/major\/political-science-ba\/\">political science<\/a> major with an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/programs\/major\/international-development-and-social-change-ba\/\">international development<\/a> minor at Clark, where she attends on a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/financial-aid\/types\/scholarships\/\">Presidential Scholarship<\/a>. Her accomplishments include interning in a state senator\u2019s office and within the Massachusetts state court departments, as well as receiving the City of Worcester\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worcesterma.gov\/announcements\/2025-woman-young-woman-consequence-awards\">Woman of Consequence Award<\/a> for her commitment to social justice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Marutyan remains committed to contributing meaningfully to society and plans to pursue a career in law. In summer 2026, she will serve as a judicial intern in the chambers of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/2024\/01\/03\/im-going-to-be-fair-and-im-going-to-bring-a-different-voice\/\">Judge Margaret Guzman \u201989<\/a> in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-clarkie-on-a-presidential-scholarship\">Clarkie on a Presidential Scholarship<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEven if it means facing rejection a thousand times, as long as you keep trying, the answer will eventually be &#8216;yes.&#8217; It only takes one person or one opportunity to believe in you and what you stand for \u2013 after that, everything else begins to fall into place. Clark was that for me,\u201d Marutyan says, describing her approach to life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the first person in her family to pursue an undergraduate degree in the United States, navigating the admissions process was a learning curve. \u201cI had to fully immerse myself in it, learn it, and understand it on my own. I also have siblings, and that motivates me even more. I wanted to put in the work now so I can guide them through it later,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Applying to universities as an international student felt like a barrier, but she remained determined. \u201cClark offered me that opportunity through the Presidential Scholarship, which is incredible. I can\u2019t thank this institution enough for that,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-full-circle-moment\">Full-circle moment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Marutyan recalls taking an <a href=\"https:\/\/catalog.clarku.edu\/preview_course_nopop.php?catoid=35&amp;coid=123203\">Introduction to Comparative Politics<\/a> course at Clark as a high school junior, an experience that would later come full circle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cProfessor [Romulus] Maier\u2019s class sparked my curiosity about Clark, and when I returned for the spring 2026 semester and ended up in another course with him, we reconnected. He even remembered me before. That moment really stood out to me because it showed that here, you\u2019re not just a number; you\u2019re seen as a person,&#8221; she says. &#8220;Even before I was a matriculated student, he remembered me, the points I had made in class, and our earlier discussions. It made the idea of building genuine, personalized relationships with professors feel very real.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another full-circle moment involved her mother, Diana Hayrapetyan, Ph.D. \u201926, who in April 2026 defended her doctoral dissertation in history at Clark, specializing in the Armenian Genocide. Her advisor Taner Ak\u00e7am, the former Robert Aram and Marianne Kaloosdian and Stephen and Marian Mugar Chair of Armenian Genocide Studies, returned to campus for the defense at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/holocaust-and-genocide-studies\/\">Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies<\/a>, where Anahit works as a student assistant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI couldn&#8217;t be half of who I am, or who I&#8217;m becoming, without my parents by my side,\u201d she says. \u201cI&#8217;ve always looked up to my mother. She embodies strength, resilience, compassion, and respect; she\u2019s a role model in every sense.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to her work at the Strassler Center, Anahit is a student ambassador in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. She also works to connect current students with alumni through events and opportunities as vice president of the Student Alumni Relations Committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignwide is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1842\" height=\"1228\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Anahit_Marutyan_2026-024.avif\" alt=\"two people pose for photo\" class=\"wp-image-28024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Anahit_Marutyan_2026-024.avif 1842w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Anahit_Marutyan_2026-024-300x200.avif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Anahit_Marutyan_2026-024-1024x683.avif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Anahit_Marutyan_2026-024-768x512.avif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Anahit_Marutyan_2026-024-1536x1024.avif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Anahit_Marutyan_2026-024-1200x800.avif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1842px) 100vw, 1842px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Anahit Marutyan \u201929, right, with her mother Diana Hayrapetyan, Ph.D. \u201926.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2064\" height=\"1376\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Diana_Hayrapetyan_Ph.D._defense_2026-25.avif\" alt=\"three people pose for photo\" class=\"wp-image-28021\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Diana_Hayrapetyan_Ph.D._defense_2026-25.avif 2064w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Diana_Hayrapetyan_Ph.D._defense_2026-25-300x200.avif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Diana_Hayrapetyan_Ph.D._defense_2026-25-1024x683.avif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Diana_Hayrapetyan_Ph.D._defense_2026-25-768x512.avif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Diana_Hayrapetyan_Ph.D._defense_2026-25-1536x1024.avif 1536w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Diana_Hayrapetyan_Ph.D._defense_2026-25-2048x1365.avif 2048w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Diana_Hayrapetyan_Ph.D._defense_2026-25-1200x800.avif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2064px) 100vw, 2064px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Thomas K\u00fchne, Professor of History and the Strassler Colin Flug Chair of Holocaust History and the Director of the Strassler Center, Diana Hayrapetyan, Ph.D. \u201926, and Taner Ak\u00e7am, the former Robert Aram and Marianne Kaloosdian and Stephen and Marian Mugar Chair of Armenian Genocide Studies.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-staying-in-touch-with-her-culture\">Staying in touch with her culture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI speak Armenian at home all the time, it\u2019s non-negotiable,\u201d Marutyan says. At Clark, she continues to speak Armenian with fellow Armenian students to stay connected to her culture. Although she comes from a different background than many of her peers, she says finding community at Clark has not been a challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe small class sizes at Clark remove barriers to connection, allowing community to form naturally through something as simple as a discussion or group project,\u201d Marutyan says. \u201cYou feel like you belong.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile has-white-color has-dark-orange-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-e69ec92405bad0ab8875a8582053c299\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Elyse_Semerdjian_26_MAR_2026-63-1024x683.avif\" alt=\"Elyse Semerdjian teaches a seminar at Clark University\" class=\"wp-image-27982 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Elyse_Semerdjian_26_MAR_2026-63-1024x683.avif 1024w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Elyse_Semerdjian_26_MAR_2026-63-300x200.avif 300w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Elyse_Semerdjian_26_MAR_2026-63-768x512.avif 768w, https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/Elyse_Semerdjian_26_MAR_2026-63.avif 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-remnants-captures-stories-of-horror-and-resilience-in-the-armenian-genocide\">\u2018Remnants\u2019 captures stories of horror and resilience in the Armenian Genocide<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Elyse Semerdjian, a professor of\u00a0history\u00a0in Clark\u2019s\u00a0Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, has a deep family connection to the country\u2019s history. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/16\/remnants-captures-stories-of-horror-and-resilience-in-the-armenian-genocide\/\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Anahit Marutyan \u201929 received the City of Worcester\u2019s Woman of Consequence Award for her commitment to social justice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":28022,"template":"","meta":{"story_color":"var(--clarku-color-dark-orange)","story_headerImg":28022,"section_label":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[223,239],"displayed_author":[539],"featured":[493],"topic":[608,148,336,264,265,323,121,172],"class_list":["post-28020","story","type-story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-clark-community","category-worcester-world","displayed_author-rukhshona-marufova-29","featured-primary","topic-armenian-genocide","topic-community","topic-major-in-political-science","topic-political-science","topic-politics-and-government","topic-strassler-center-for-holocaust-and-genocide-studies","topic-undergraduate-students","topic-worcester"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Meet the Clark student who advocated 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