Meet DYE staffer Ruzan Hovsepyan

            In March 2006, the Department of Youth and Education was fortunate to welcome Ruzan Hosepyan to its staff. Ruzan is working as a DYE intern where she has contributed graciously and enormously to the work of the Department. Whether on the computer, designing brochures, assisting with mailings, handling correspondence, or overseeing a variety of details in DYE and Diocesan projects (such as “Church and Home”), Ruzan is a huge asset to our work. She will be missed when she inevitably leaves to work side by side with her husband, Deacon Vahe (upon his future ordination), for a very lucky parish community!

            We asked Ruzan to share a little bit about herself for Educator readers.

I grew up in the small beautiful city of Etchmiadzin. Luckily, most of my life was spent in a free, independent Armenia. I do not really remember much of the Soviet period, the greater part of my memories come from the stories told by my grandparents and parents.

I started attending the Russian school and after three years continued at the Armenian lyceum of Etchmiadzin. With a future dream of learning languages and becoming a translator, I entered the State Linguistic University of Yerevan where besides linguistics I also majored in general psychology. My psychology studies included an internship at the specialized school for blind children where we worked with the children as psychologists, an unforgettable experience which was the hardest, the most touching and at the same time the most useful one for me.  

As a student I liked to spend my free time with a friend of mine at one of the studios of an Art College (National Center of Aesthetics) that was very close to our university where I took drawing lessons for several months.

After completing 5 years of study, in 2003 I started my first job as a translator at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. The two years that I worked there were the most interesting and productive ones for me since it was here that I matured as a person and grew more in faith.

In 2005 a completely new life started for me as I married and moved to the US. Shortly after, I started to work at the Diocese. I am very happy to work at Department of Youth and Education since besides learning a lot about the work of the Diocese and Armenian parish life in America and being closer to the church,  I am surrounded by the most knowledgeable and caring staff. 

I also teach Armenian Language on Saturdays at St. Gregory the Enlightener Armenian School. It is not always easy to devote a part of the short weekend to the school, but it has never been tiring for me. I enjoy being with the kids and I am very much inspired when I see progress. Back in Armenia it never occurred to me that I could be a teacher. But as I think of continuing my education, early childhood education is the field that interests me.

As a child, I experienced one nation, one language and one church, not because I chose to see my surroundings in that way but because that was the only way I could see it. As I grew up, I was more exposed to the problems and difficulties of the Diaspora, of the people who under various circumstances were forced to live far from the motherland. However the picture was complete for me when I was able to witness and to experience that life myself. I realized how difficult it is to be strong when your home is no longer the land of your ancestors and how much there needs to be done, since the church has so many functions on her shoulders.

For me the church became not only a sanctuary, a place of worship but also a family, a school and a place to look to for raising children. Each of us has a commitment no matter how much one can contribute to our community life.

Thank you, Ruzan. Your own commitment is inspiring.