2004 Intern Class Draws Participants From Kansas State University–UC Berkeley–UCLA–UC Santa Barbara–Stanford and Glendale College
GLENDALE–The Armenian National Committee of America Western Region (ANCA-WR) recently announced the selection of four candidates to participate in the prestigious ANCA Leo Sarkisian Summer Internship Program in Washington–DC. Based out of ANCA Headquarters–the eight week program will give its participants a first hand understanding of the American political system.
Out of a pool of over one hundred applicants–four highly motivated university students who displayed a clear commitment to the advancement of Armenian-American issues were chosen from the Western United States. They will join five other participants from the Eastern Region and Canada.
"The program is the only one of its kind in the country," commented ANCA-WR Executive Director Ardashes Kassakhian. "While at the ANCA National Headquarter–which is only a few blocks from the White House–the interns will gain a fresh and multi-dimensional perspective on the Armenian Cause and its political and legislative future in the United States."
The 2004 ANCA Leo Sarkisian Internship participants from the Western US are: Garen Kirakosian–a University of California–Los Angeles (UCLA) junior studying Political Science; Seepan Parseghian–a Stanford University sophomore studying Political Science; Ani Garibyan–a UCLA senior studying History; and Shant Taslakian–a University of California–Santa Barbara senior studying Political Science with an emphasis in International Relations.
The ANCA Leo Sarkisian Internship Program is the cornerstone of the expanded ANCA Capital Gateway program–designed to provide university students and recent graduates with opportunities to intern or find career positions on Capitol Hill or at other US government agencies in Washington–DC.
In response to the growing number of applicants to the Leo Sarkisian Internship and the Capital Gateway program–ANCA-WR had launched a new Western-Region internship program. The internship will provide participants with an opportunity to experience political workings at the state and local level. It also includes a lecture series that will feature elected officials–media professionals and community leaders.
"We are very excited about the new Western Region internship program," said Argam DerHartunian–Internship Coordinator for the Western Region and Leo Sarkisian Internship Program Alum. "It is our goal to equip a new generation of political organizers and activists with the tools they need bring about change."
The talented youth from across the Western Region who will participate in the program are: Nari M. Chopurian–a UCLA junior studying Political Science; Nare Avagyan–a University of California–Berkeley sophomore studying Political Science and Social Welfare; Gennadi Gevorgyan–a graduate student at Kansas State University studying Journalism; Elina Mnatsakanyan–a UCLA sophomore studying Political Science; and Babken DerGrigorian–a Glendale Community College sophomore studying Political Science.
For more information on these and other Armenian National Committee of America programs log on to www.anca.org or call the ANCA-WR at (818) 500-1918.