TIgran Terterian

Zabelle Chapter #12 Daughters of Vartan 2020 Announces Merit Scholarship Recipients

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DETROIT — The Daughters of Vartan Zabelle Chapter’s Merit Scholarship Program is in its 19th year. The group has awarded 60 Merit Scholarships totaling $56,700 and has been successful due to the generosity of the Detroit members of the Knights and Daughters of Vartan and friends.

The Merit Scholarship Program is open to the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of Detroit, Michigan’s Knights and Daughters of Vartan Nareg-Shavarshan Lodge #6 and Zabelle Chapter #12 members.

The Daughter of Vartan value the importance of recognizing the academic accomplishments of Armenian college students. This year they awarded the Merit Scholarship for an undergraduate student to Tigran Terterian and a Merit Scholarship for a graduate student to Emily Rose Torossian.

The Daughters of Vartan were unable to honor the recipients at their annual June dinner, as it was cancelled due to Covid-19. They will honor them at a special dinner and introduce them to the membership when they can once again assemble safely.

Tigran Terterian is the son of Commander Kazar and Marina Terterian and the grandson of the late Knight Kevork Terterian. He is a student at the University of Michigan pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in molecular, cellular and developmental biology. His goal is to further his education with a PhD and work in research.

In addition to maintaining high academic standards, Tigran has an extensive work experience to his credit. These include; his Eagle Scout Project (raising money for an orphanage in Gyumri, Armenia), Hye Camp Counselor, research assistant and shift leader at Little Caesar’s.

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Tigran’s parents taught him about being Armenian through language, food, culture and religion. He is proud to be Armenian but still he needed to feel comfortable outside the Armenian community. He solved this issue in a mature manner. Tigran simply educated his friends about Armenian life and they embraced his heritage.

Emily Rose Torossian

Emily Rose Torossian is the daughter of Elaine Torossian and granddaughter of the late Knight Edward and late Daughter of Vartan Rosalie Torossian. She is pursuing a career in social work and is a graduate student at the University of Michigan. She received her Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Michigan State University.

Putting her passion into action is evident in her work experiences. These include volunteering in assisting building huts in a remote village in Thailand, facilitating English classes in Vietnam, legal and client advocate intern at a domestic abuse shelter EVE (End Violent Encounters), clinical resource specialist (New Oakland Family Centers) and medical social work intern (Michigan Medicine Hospital).

It became apparent to her professor, Debra Mattison, how Emily felt about her Armenian roots. “Emily developed her awareness and rooted commitment to advocacy from the example of her grandmother who was herself a strong supporter of the preservation of the Armenian culture and Armenian charities in America.” Torossian had a close relationship with her maternal grandparents who not only cared for her after school, but also showed her what it is to “be an exemplary Armenian.” Emily states, “I have heard the stories of trauma, loss and sacrifice that my great grandparents and great-great grandparents and many other Armenians endured. I want to honor their legacy through how I live my life and contribute to and have a positive impact on society.”

 

 

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