2006 CONFERENCE: STUDENT'S REFLECTIONS

By Michelle Komara

I have heard that, as early as the final days of the 19th century, a young man migrated from Iran (then called Persia ) to the United States . He attended Valparaiso University in Indiana . Then he completed his medical education and, later, moved to Pennsylvania for practice. He married there and had a son, who also became a physician.

Such early migration gives rise to several interesting questions. Was there any cultural exchange through generations? Did the young man mirror any patterns of modern Iranian migration? How did his son deal with being an Iranian-American at that time? Were any connections maintained with his homeland? These are some of the questions that I would like to answer in my future research following the latest DANESH conference.

The DANESH conference was a moving experience for me. It addressed issues relevant to the Persian heritage particularly in this country. It provided me an opportunity to connect my passion for research in genealogy with its application to the Iranian-American population. Indeed, the conference alerted me to the need to explore the journey of Iranian immigrants and their contributions to our country in more than 150 years.

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