In the spirit of May’s victories
On May 28, 2026, as Armenians around the world celebrated the independence of the First Republic of Armenia and the glorious victory of Sartarabad, the Mesrobian College family gathered to celebrate the graduation ceremony of its 87th harvest. Just as the heroes of May 1918 refused to give up, the Mesrobian legion, despite the uncertainties faced by Lebanon, continues to flourish, serving as an unassailable beacon of endurance and Armenian upbringing in the Armenian educational environment of the Middle East. With historical pride, the 2025-2026 graduating class was named the “Saint Ignatius Maloyan” generation, in honor of the canonization of the martyred Archbishop and the eternal mystery of his martyrdom.
The guest of honor and speaker of the ceremony was Father Dr. Youssef Nasser, Secretary General of Catholic Schools in Lebanon. The ceremony took place under the paternal patronage and blessing of His Beatitude Raphael Bedros XXI, the Catholicos Patriarch of Cilicia of Armenian Catholics, in the presence of high-ranking Lebanese Armenian clergy, official representatives of numerous associations and bodies, and more than a thousand guests.
In his speech, the Principal of Mesrobian High School and Higher Technical College, Mr. Gregoire Kaloust, presented the achievements of the elapsed year and the vision of the school for the future. He highlighted the following strategic points:
Status Enhancement: By a historic and presidential decree, the Technical College was officially renamed “Mesrobian Higher Technical College”.
International “Homologation”: The French state recognition process in kindergarten has been successfully completed, and the French baccalaureate program is already fully implemented in the higher grades.
Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI training is being implemented as an integral part of the educational program, preparing students to be future leaders, not just followers.
Expansion of the "Alice Nerguizian" Nursery: As evidence of the school's growth and development, the nursery expansion project has entered its practical phase of implementation.
The Principal expressed three wishes that serve as a guide for life to the graduates: seriousness towards life's responsibilities, perseverance in facing difficulties, and diligence as the only and reliable path to success. The Principal emphasized with special gratitude the irreplaceable role of the school's chaplain, Father Sahag Keshishian, for his dedicated work in the students' Christian and national formation.
The main speaker of the ceremony, Father Dr. Youssef Nasser, Secretary General of Catholic Schools in Lebanon, began his speech by highly appreciating Mesrobian’s spiritual and educational-cultural atmosphere, noting that we can learn from the Armenian people will, perseverance and zeal for preserving their identity. He congratulated the school for the three main achievements that Mr. Gregoire Kaloust had mentioned. Referring to the thoughts of Nelson Mandela, Father Nasser emphasized that education is the most powerful weapon to change the world. Addressing the graduates of the “Saint Ignatius Maloyan” generation, he urged them to be resilient in order to face the challenges of today’s world, to be forefront by looking to the future with courage, and to be philanthropic by always fostering love and charity. At the end of his speech, Father Nasser greeted the graduates and this educational institution which has provided the Lebanese-Armenian community with outstanding faces and leaders for decades, with a "congratulatory" wish in Armenian.
Ani Tashjian, Kevin Minassian, Celine Zoboyan, and Jacques Terzian delivered moving speeches on behalf of the graduates. They described Mesrobian as their “second home,” emphasizing that here they had evolved from small children into mature and responsible individuals. They expressed their gratitude to their parents and teachers and proudly declared: “We are the Mesrobians, and we will bear that title with all responsibility.”
The artistic part of the ceremony was distinguished by stirring and excellent performances. The participating graduates were Rita Pepeyan and Benon Vartanian (opening speech), Mary Ekmekjian (recitation, Baruyr Sevag: “Մարդ կայ ելել է շալակն աշխարհի”), Meghry Yeretsian and Meghry Messerlian (musical performances: "Տուն իմ Հայրենի ", "More love, more power"), Maria Jessica Khasholian (song, "La Bohème").
During the ceremony, the name of the student who received the award in memory of the martyr of Artsakh and Mesrobian’s former Armenian teacher Kevork Hadjian was announced. For her excellent results in Armenian studies, the award was presented to Jessica-Maria Khasholian, who will have the opportunity to participate in the annual Hamazkayin Forum in Armenia.
The following students, who had achieved the highest averages in their departments, were granted certificates of honor and sashes: Ani Tashjian and Zareh Kodjaoghlanian (General Science), Peter Nalbandian (Biology), Rita Pepeyan (Literature), Serena Aintablian (Accounting and Computer Science), Roupen Mahdessian (Hospitality Management) and Marilyn Yacoubian (Graphic Design).
One of the most symbolic moments of the ceremony was the handover ceremony of the “Mesrobian Shield”, where the graduates handed over the responsibility for preserving the traditions of the school to the next generation. The ceremony ended with the diploma distribution: 77 students from Mesrobian High School and Higher Technical College received their diplomas. This was followed by the cutting of the festive cake and fireworks, closing the 2025-2026 academic year in an atmosphere of joy and bright hope.
Photos: Graduation Ceremony