Maegan BetEnvia

= Division III =

This article is part of a Climax Div III Issue. By Josh Schneider, Arts &amp; Entertainment Editor.

“Have you ever heard of Assyrians?” asks Maegan BetEnvia. Many people have not. BetEnvia’s Div III is an ethnographic historical study on this indigenous Iraqi ethno-religious minority. BetEnvia, a first generation American, began “by documenting the century long history of the Assyrian immi- grant community in Connecticut…But soon realized that I had to go further to understand the series of events that have influenced what it means to be Assyrian in the present day.” BetEnvia, whose parents both emigrated from Iran in the 70’s and 80’s, said that “rather than employing theory to explain this ethnic group, I use the framework of Assyrians, primarily the Assyrian community in Connecticut, as a lens to view political and social issues of statelessness, diaspora, post-colonial identity, gender, nationalism, and immigration.”

“My project,” continues BetEnvia, “uses interviews and history to see if, where, and how Assyrians fit into the academic fields of diaspora studies, post-colonial identities, statelessness, race, and indigenous studies. This study is as much for my Assyrian community as it is for academia, so my primary objective has been to keep the work accessible to both.”

To her fellow students, and especially transfers, BetEnvia urges “stay motivated, don’t be intimidated by the challenges you face, it will seem impossible at times, but the end result is definitely worth it… Don’t let Hampshire become apathetic and traditional. Student groups depend on your involvement, attend their meetings, and make your voice heard.”