Peter Karapetian Memorial Scholarship

A man of many accomplishments, Peter (Baryour) Karapetian arose from very humble beginnings. Born in a small village in northern Armenia, Peter grew up in a simple farming family, one whose lives were ripped apart in the early 1900’s with the ruthless invasion of the Turkish army. Unlike the many unfortunate members of his family, Peter survived the Armenian Genocide and the brutal persecution perpetrated by the Ottoman Turkish government.

Mr. Karapetian did not speak a word of English when he arrived in the United States and had with him little more than what he could carry. After much hard work, Peter proved to be successful in school, ultimately graduating with a degree in law. His journey of perseverance continued when he served proudly in the United States Army, seeing action in both North Africa and Italy during WWII. Again, escaping with his life, Peter returned to the United States to begin a family. Locally, Mr. Karapetian served various roles in the Dearborn community and was eventually appointed to be the Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Wayne County where he received widespread recognition throughout his years of service.

Peter was proud of his Armenian heritage and was a founding member of the St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic church in Dearborn. Peter had a larger-than-life persona, and his achievements, experiences and relationships were respected by all who knew him. His generosity and willingness to help those in need was something the community respected immensely. Wise and kind, Mr. Karapetian was a model of hard work, perseverance, and the American Dream.