FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 17, 2005

CONTACT: Hasmik Keyribarian

(818) 242-4154

DR. R. HRAIR DEKMEJIAN

TO RECEIVE ARMENIAN EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION’S

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

The AEF is pleased to announce the selection of Dr. R. Hrair Dekmejian as the 2005 Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree. Annually, the AEF selects either a preK-12 educator or a higher education leader as an honoree of the year. There are two levels of awards, one is recognized as the AEF Educator of the Year and the other is the AEF Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Dekmejian will be receiving the most coveted and respected Lifetime Achievement Award. This award was first granted to Dr. Richard G. Hovannisian. Since that time, Dr. Rubina Peroomian, Dr. Mihran Agbabian, and Dr. Yuri Sarkissyan have been amongst the distinguished recipients of this award. Dr. Dekmejian will now join their ranks at a special celebration on December 4, 2005 at the Beverly Hills Hotel for a luncheon in his honor.

Dr. Dekmejian was born in Aleppo, Syria. He proudly remembers that while a young man growing up in Syria, he was a member of the Homenetmen. In 1950, Dr. Dekmejian immigrated to the United States to attend Los Angeles City College. He then moved to the East Coast to attend Yale Divinity School in Connecticut where he met his lifetime partner, Anoush Hagopian. Together they have three sons - Gregory, Armen, and Haig. In 1955, Dr. Dekmejian enlisted in the U.S. Army, and was sent to NATO Headquarters in France because of his fluency in French, Arabic, Armenian, Turkish, and English.

Dr. Dekmejian’s resume reflects his extensive experience as a professor at Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, SUNY-Binghamton and of course, his beloved University of Southern California where he has been a professor in the Department of Political Science since 1986. He was the Chair of the Department of Political Science from 1986-89. Also since 1992 he has been a Professor at Ibear Program at the USC Marshall Business School. Dr. Dekmejian has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career. He is well known for his appearances on network television on critical issues relating to the Middle East and international affairs. Dr. Dekmejian has produced television documentaries, lectured on world affairs to diplomatic personnel, business executives, civic groups and professional organizations. He has conducted research, lectured and traveled worldwide. He has authored and co-authored nine books including his most recent, The Just Prince: A Manual of Leadership and Troubled Waters: the Geopolitics of the Caspian Region. He has also authored a large number of scholarly articles for professional journals. His book, Islam in Revolution, has been translated into Persian and Arabic and published in Iran and Egypt. For many years Dr. Dekmejian has worked as a consultant to various US government of agencies in Washington DC.

Dr. Dekmejian has recently accepted the position of Director of the USC Institute of Armenian Studies. He continues to remain an active member of the Armenian community including being an ordained deacon. He presently conducts the St. Peter’s Church Choir in Glendale. He is proud of the over 1,000 Armenian students who presently attend USC. Dr. Dekmejian is the USC’s representative as faculty advisor to three Armenian organizations - - the Armenian Alumni Association, the Armenian Graduate Students Association and the Armenian Students Association. We encourage all those who have known and worked with him to join the AEF in celebrating the achievements of Dr. Dekmejian. Please call the AEF offices at (818) 242-4154 for further information.