The lemon trees in front of the McKee Fisk building are
dedicated to former Fresno State journalism professor
and UPI Editor In Chief Roger Tatarian.
Thomas Pearson / The Collegian

As the front doors of the McKee Fisk building open, a seating area with branches full of lemons surround the area. Three lemon trees and a seating bench decorate a path many students walk across every day.

The Roger Tatarian Memorial Plaza was dedicated in 1996 in memory of one of Fresno State’s beloved professors, who taught in the Mass Communications and Journalism Department.

“He was very loved,” Robert Boro said, who developed a special friendship with Tatarian. “He had a lot of very close friends where he grew up in Fresno who were very successful people in the business world, and he was very loved in the journalism world.”

Tatarian became a great insight and mentor for journalists and writers in Fresno, including students at Fresno State.

Tatarian, a former executive at United Press International, grew up in Fresno and graduated with a degree in politcal science from Fresno City College in 1938. He began his writing career at UPI and became the general news manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Tatarian also worked as the UPI bureau chief for London and Rome and as the news editor in Washington, D.C. Tatarian retired from UPI in 1972 and returned to Fresno State to teach in the Journalism Department for 15 years.

Boro, also the consulting landscape architect for Fresno State and owner of Robert Boro Landscape Arch Business, met Tatarian in 1948 when they both belonged to a study group that gathered once a month. Boro became Tatarian’s good friend and knew him while he was working around the world.

In 1995, Boro offered to donate the plants and build the plaza to honor his friend. The trees grow very ripe lemons and provide a nice seating area for students and professors to enjoy.

“I thought about his time spent in Italy and thought why don’t we use lemon trees because they are very common in Italy as a landscape tree,” Boro said.

Boro said he learned from­ Tatarian’s wife Eunice that Roger’s favorite tree in the whole world was the lemon tree.

“I knew Roger and I knew he lived in Italy and figured he must like lemon trees,” Boro said.

Rick Finden, the director of Plant Operations at Fresno State, said, “It is one of the most popular trees on campus. It’s a very nice addition to the campus and everyone is welcome to pick lemons off it.”

Amanda Pendergraft and Chelsea Thomas, both Fresno State junior students, walk by McKee Fisk building every Tuesday and Thursday for class and have always wanted to pick lemons.

“We’ve seen the lemons growing from the tree and every time we’re tempted to pick some off. But we never do because I think we could get in trouble,” Pendergraft said.

Boro said the purpose of the lemon trees planted outside the doors of McKee Fisk was so students can enjoy eating them. “There is no rule against picking them,” he said. “Roger was a very generous man. He would like that.”