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Charles Kenosian and his sister, Elisabeth Kenosian, at the May 2003 BU reunion Photo by Kalman Zabarsky |
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He may have had a Ph.D. in English from Boston University, and have taught English for some fifty years, but Charles Kenosian’s early days as a scholar weren’t promising: he failed kindergarten. That really wasn’t his fault — when he started school, he spoke only Armenian. After being held back, and clearly learning a second language very quickly, he got a double promotion. “He was a smart guy,” says his sister, Elisabeth Kenosian (DGE’49, CAS’51, GRS’52).
Kenosian (GRS’60) had an abiding interest in his heritage, and it bothered him that many Americans knew so little about Armenia’s history and heritage. Kenosian, who died in January 2005, was upset that many of his students and even some professors at Salem (Massachusetts) State College were so ignorant about the country. “He heard an awful lot of students who thought Armenians are Muslims,” Elisabeth reports, especially ironic because Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its state religion, in the year 301, and has been the bastion of Christianity in that region for over 1700 years.
Kenosian’s desire that Americans — especially young people — gain a greater understanding of Armenia will be taking the form of new courses in modern Armenian history and literature at the College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, thanks to a generous bequest from Kenosian through the Charles and Elisabeth Kenosian Endowment Fund. Armenia’s ancient history is the subject of programs at other universities, but the new courses are intended to focus on events since the 1800s, when Armenia was part of the Ottoman empire, through to its current status as a republic.
“Among the special relationships that the deanship opened for me was to have known Charles Kenosian, a dedicated teacher and man of dignity and distinction,” says Jeffrey Henderson, dean of Arts and Sciences. “He was a regular supporter of arts and sciences at BU, and his generous bequest will make a special addition to the College and Graduate School’s course offerings directed toward an important culture in an increasingly important part of the world.”
Kenosian wanted his legacy to “go to an academic source,” says Elisabeth, “and BU was where his close ties were, and where he began his teaching career.”
— Taylor McNeil
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