Hratch Zadoian, 2013

Hratch Zadoian was born in 1937 in Ploiesti, Romania, to Armenian parents who were survivors of the Armenian Genocide by Ottoman Turkey during World War I. He immigrated to the United States in 1959 and joined the U.S. Army, serving in Korea and at Fort Devens, Mass. He received an honorable discharge with the rank of Sergeant and began attending Queens College in 1963 as a part-time evening student, earning his degree in political science in 1970. He then received a fellowship to pursue his graduate studies at Columbia University.

Zadoian began his career at Queens College as an adjunct lecturer in political science in 1971. He eventually held various administrative positions, including Director of Interdisciplinary and Special Studies, associate dean, acting dean, assistant provost and acting Vice President for Business and Finance. He retired from administration in 2003, but continued to teach part-time in the Political Science Department.

During his years at Queens College, Zadoian was involved in a number of initiatives dedicated to improving racial and ethnic relations, including the Queens Black-Jewish People-to-People Project, and co-chaired the first Comparative Diasporas conference.