Students ground themselves in the long sweep of Armenian history — from ancient origins and early Christianity through medieval manuscripts, epic literature, and the music and poetry that carried Armenian identity across centuries. Site visits, archival workshops, and hands-on engagement with primary sources make the material tangible from day one.

The focus shifts to how Armenians survived, adapted, and stayed connected across a global diaspora — as traders, writers, revolutionaries, and storytellers. Students examine Armenian communities under Ottoman, Persian, and Russian rule, trace the language across continents, and engage with the Armenian press that has documented diaspora life for over a century.

The program's hardest and most urgent questions. Students engage directly with genocide testimony, post-genocide rebuilding, the loss of Artsakh, denial and disinformation, and the pursuit of legal justice and reparations. The week culminates in public presentations of student social media campaigns to a live audience at NAASR headquarters.