Over the years, Dr. Raymond and Jacqueline Doumanian have formed a deep connection with the College of Arts and Humanities. Both were students at Fresno State — Raymond earned his degree from the Department of Philosophy and went on to the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry — Jacqueline earned both her B.A. and M.A. in Art. Both have continued to give back with both time and monetary donations.
“Ray and Jackie beautifully demonstrate that an artist or humanist can be successful in any field, because our disciplines teach life-long lessons that empower the individual to become — in their case — a dentist and a businesswoman. I deeply admire Jackie and Ray because they embody the spirit of Arts and Humanities: They represent the creative and generous quest to better the world,” said Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, Ph.D., Dean, College of Arts and Humanities.
Raymond was a key figure in the formation of the Dean’s Council Annual Fund. Raymond says he and Bob Hirth were both serving on the Arts and Humanities Advisory Board (AHAB) when they were asked to co-chair the Development Committee.
“While Bob and I were co-chairs we wanted to develop an annual giving program that would benefit the entire college on an annual basis rather than people giving to individual departments on a scattered basis. We developed the idea of the Dean’s Council based on an idea that I had used when I was fundraising for the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry,” said Raymond. “One half of the annual donation would be earmarked for a student scholarship endowment and the other half would be at the discretion of the dean to support faculty and student projects across the college that were not supported by state monies.”
Since then, the Dean’s Council fund has the ability to allow more students and faculty to receive support on a regular basis by streamlining the donations process, which is beneficial for donors as well.
“My hope is that the time and funds that I donate will advance the entire college, faculty, students, and programs so that they continue to grow and prosper,” said Raymond. “I believe that the arts and humanities are critical to the growth of our community.”
Jacqueline’s journey has primarily driven by her interest in the arts. In middle school, she was a pianist and an artist, and she says occasional summer trips to museums in Los Angeles and San Francisco influenced her academic choices for College.
“After H.S. graduation, I entered what was then known as ‘Fresno State College’ as a freshman with an art major and music minor,” said Jacqueline.
Raymond and Jacqueline met while they were students at Fresno State — which Jacqueline jokes was another “benefit” of being a student at the college.
Since that time, her CV has been an extended mix of employment and volunteer work at Fresno State. While she had volunteered her time to Fresno State, it was after she first joined AHAB in 1989 where she first understood the importance of financial giving.
“AHAB educated me to the needs of the students and faculty of Arts & Humanities. The few years I worked with the Arts & Humanities Development staff, I saw firsthand the need of fundraising to supplement the budget cuts. The CSU system, including Fresno State, depends more and more on private and corporate donors to thrive and survive.”
She went on to say, “The formation of the Dean’s Council has made a discernible difference for Arts and Humanities to provide student scholarships and aid students and faculty with supplemental funds for state and national competitions, conferences, student emergencies, etc.”
When asked how it feels to give back, Raymond and Jacqueline had similar responses:
“It feels great to give back!” exclaimed Raymond.
Jacqueline described it as “Joyful!” She went on to say, “Giving is expansive and keeps things moving. I’ve heard many first-hand stories from students who have benefitted from the Dean’s Council scholarships, donor named scholarships, aid with traveling to academic conferences and competitions, aid with personal emergency needs. Their gratitude is heartfelt and, as a donor, I know whatever we give is going toward making dreams come true and enhancing all of our futures.”
The College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State 
This honor is so well deserved. Both Ray and Jackie are an inspiration for all of those who support the University.
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