Inspired By Hagop Missak Merjian

When I attended prep school at the Pomfret School in Pomfret, Connecticut, whose mascot was the Griffin (pictured above), I met someone who changed my life for the better forever. His name was Hagop Missak Merjian. He spent nearly four decades on the faculty at Pomfret School. I knew him for four of those. He served as my English teacher, advisor, mentor, coach, and friend---just as he did to hundreds of Pomfret students throughout his tenure. In my case he insisted that I join the wrestling team and excel in it and form the school’s debating club and enter it into and win the state championships. Doing so made a profound difference in my life’s journey. He was a fatherly figure like that on that campus to countless students for nearly half a century. He even was the father of three Pomfret alumni: Adrienne ’80, Armen ’82, and Ara ’92. He was an early advocate of diversity at Pomfret and served as its Director of College Counseling for 17 years. He was once named Connecticut’s Outstanding Counselor. At his retirement just before the turn of the century, he received numerous much-deserved accolades from former students that focused on his compassion, strength, dedication and loyalty. I shall never forget him!

The author, Dr. John B. Charnay, CEO of Charnay and Associates in Greater Los Angeles, is a top fundraising, PR and social media advisor. To meet him and get his support, invite him to be LinkedIn (email in profile) and contact him today! (P.S. He enjoys networking with and assisting other Pomfret alums! Connect with him now if you can!)