Thank you Dennis!

 

Christmas cards are still trickling in.  That is not a real issue given Armenian Christmas is in two days.  Yesterday, we got only one card.  It was from Dennis and Mary Papazian.  They are an amazing couple.  She just stepped down from her position as President of San Jose State University at the end of 2021.  He is Professor Emeritus at the University of Michigan Dearborn where he founded and was the first director of the Armenian Research Center. 

Per his well-written and informative Christmas letter, I learned that Dennis just penned his autobiography, From My Life and Thought:  Reflections on an Armenian American Journey.   It is being printed and released soon by The Press at Fresno State University as part of their Armenian Studies Series.  I certainly will get and read this book. 

Just hearing about this book made me think of my favorite memory of Dennis. 

I have known of Dennis since the 1960s.  He is a generation older than me, and I was aware he was a professor of history at the University of Michigan – Dearborn and involved in St. John’s Armenian Church.  But I never really knew him nor ever interacted with him.

Back in those days in Detroit, the two churches, St. John’s and St. Sarkis where my family attended, did not interact a lot.  They were divided by Cold War and Armenian Politics to the point of having less than cordial relations… way less than cordial at times.  It involved Ramgavar and Dashak political parties politics, the recognition and support of the Armenian SSR, and control of the Armenian Churches in the United States.  It all dated back to the murder of Archbishop Levon Tourian on December 25, 1933, in New York City.  Armenians have a horrible history of polarizing ourselves when we should be focusing on those who wish to do us real harm. 

In 1971, I started my university education at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.  I attempted to go to school there as a commuter rather than live on campus.  That combined with a level of immaturity, made for an unpleasant and unsuccessful second semester of my freshman year as manifested in my GPA.

I was not sure what to do the following academic year and felt a bit defeated.  So, I took a job in factory owned and run by Armenians.  I think with great insight, they gave me some of the toughest and dirtiest jobs in the factory help me get my head straight.  Whether that was their plan or not, it worked wonderfully in getting my goals clear.  I was bound and determined to return to school, do well, and do something more white collar than blue with my career.

Where to go to school was the next question. 

Returning to Ann Arbor was certainly an option.  But my less than stellar experience there made that someplace I did not want to return to so soon.  Community college and Wayne State were certainly options but were nothing that resonated with me.

Then I thought, why not the Dearborn campus of the University of Michigan?  I returned some books to the library there rather than to drive out to Ann Arbor.  I remember thinking it was a cozy little campus which was probably more of what I needed than the larger more overwhelming central campus.  I asked a few students I ran into there, if they liked the place. They were friendlier than I expected and spoke positively about it.  So, I decided to go the Dearborn campus as it was still in the University of Michigan system.

I do not recall exactly what I did, or didn’t do, but I was certain I did something or talked to someone in either Ann Arbor or Dearborn and was told that I was cleared to enroll on the Dearborn campus in the Fall of 1972.  I was looking forward to a fresh start. 

During this same time frame, I was playing a lot of music on the weekends.  We played for dances, weddings, parties, and picnics.  We played for events at both churches, and I quickly realized how absurd the divide was.  We were the same people.  Our political differences didn’t make us different species and certainly shouldn’t make us enemies. 

During the summer of 1972, I was playing at a backyard party for a St. John’s family.  I remember talking to someone my parents’ age during a break.  The asked if I was going to college.  I answered yes and told them of my move to the University of Michigan – Dearborn.  They said, “Oh you have to meet Dennis Papazian, he is a dean there.”  They took me over and introduced me to Dennis who was cordial and told me to look him up if I ever needed any assistance or advice.

About a month later as the fall semester was about to begin, I ventured to campus to enroll in classes.  I believe it was a day or two before classes were supposed to begin.  Back then enrollment was done in person going from table to table, department by department, with a paper schedule in hand.  I was told they had no information about me being a student there and that I couldn’t enroll.  I was told I had to go through some paperwork or review process and it was sounding like I might miss a whole semester.

I felt stupid, dejected, and basically horrible.  Then, I thought let me find out if Dennis was on campus and if he might be of any assistance.  I learned he was the Chairman of the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts and where his office was.  I walked over and found him in his office.  I knocked on the open door.  I reminded him who I was and where we met.  He remembered and was happy to see me.  I told him my enrollment conundrum.  He called someone and, in short order, everything was straightened out.  He had me meet with Professor Fran Cousins who advised and approved my schedule.  I returned back to the registration room, got all my classes, and was good to go.

I am not sure if Dennis even remembers the event as it was a minor routine activity for an administrator and it took him like fifteen minutes to make it all happen.  But I will never forget it.  It was for me a wonderful act of kindness and assistance at a pivotal moment for me.  I felt compelled to do well and not let my Armenian mentor/benefactor down.

Dennis turned 90 last year per his Christmas letter.  This is my belated birthday card to him and thank you for his kindness and guidance back in 1972.  I think of him whenever I help my students in like situations. 

I look forward to getting and reading his book as soon as it is published.