The Institute’s Next Chapter
Dear Friends,
It is with great excitement that I share with you the 2026–2030 Strategic Plan for the USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies.
This plan is more than a set of institutional goals. It is a reflection of who we are, the values we uphold, and the future we are committed to shaping.
Since assuming the directorship of the Institute, I have approached this role not only as an academic administrator, but as a scholar of Armenian Studies and language. My own research has long been driven by questions of continuity and rupture: How is Armenian identity lived, negotiated, and transmitted across generations and geographies? What role does language play in anchoring communities amidst displacement, transformation, and loss? These questions are no longer only theoretical; they are pressing realities that shape our work each day.
In developing this strategic plan, we undertook an extensive process of listening and reflection. More than 70 stakeholders—from students and faculty to members of our esteemed leadership council, cultural leaders, and global partners—contributed their insights. Through this process, one message rang clear: the Institute must continue to serve as a site of rigorous inquiry, cultural relevance, and possibility.
The next five years will be guided by three strategic pillars: research, education, and public engagement. Each of these pillars builds on the Institute’s strong foundation while charting new territory. We will introduce an interdisciplinary Minor in Armenian Studies, expanding the presence and visibility of the field within the academic life of USC. We will launch a first-of-its-kind interactive map of Armenian Los Angeles, transforming archival practice into a living, participatory resource. We will deepen our oral history initiatives, invest in emerging scholars, and amplify Armenian voices across platforms and publics.
This work is particularly urgent at a time of profound transformation in the Armenian world. Our response must be grounded, intentional, and forward-looking. That is precisely what this plan sets out to do, but our ambitious goals cannot be achieved without the support of our global community.
Some of the objectives outlined here reflect work already in motion, others will require bold new investments of time, resources, and imagination. The plan is designed with flexibility in mind, to allow us to adapt to emerging needs while remaining anchored in a clear set of commitments: intellectual rigor, public relevance, ethical leadership, and an unrelenting dedication to the study of contemporary Armenian life.
For me, Armenian Studies is not solely a discipline—it is the daily work of making meaning out of complexity, holding space for vulnerability and resilience, and forging pathways for knowledge to shape lived experience. The Institute is a bridge between past and future, scholarship and community, diaspora and homeland.
Sincerely,
Shushan Karapetian
Director, USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies