Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918
Fax: 818.246.7353
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
May 9, 2007
Contact: Haig Hovsepian
Tel: (818) 500-1918
ANCA-WR Concludes Internship Program’s 2007 Spring Session
Los Angeles, CA – The 2007 Spring Session of the Armenian National
Committee of America-Western Region’s Internship-Externship Program
(ANCA-WR IEP) concluded on Friday, May 4, 2007 with program participants
delivering their final presentations to ANC leadership and former
interns.
As the leading Armenian American public policy organization in
California, the ANCA-WR is committed to educating and preparing the next
generation of Armenian American leaders and activists in our
communities. As such, the interns prepared presentations covering their
internship accomplishments and contributions during the course of the
fourteen week program. The presentations were preceded by a reception
where the graduating class of interns took the opportunity to get to
know former ANC regional and national interns.
"The ANCA-WR internship program represents our commitment to the next
generation of Armenian American leaders," commented Andrew Kzirian,
Executive Director of the ANCA-WR. "We shall continue working with our
interns in the coming months to help them gain experience working in a
fast-paced environment that will prepare them for whatever challenges
life may offer in the future," he added.
During the program, participants were assigned to specific areas of
specialization in which they delegated tasks and projects to complete.
The session commenced on January 22, 2007 and included a seminar series
featuring presentations by board members as well as community
organization representatives and elected officials.
Completing the program were Andre Arzoo and Hovhannes Harutyunyan, both
second-year students at Glendale Community College. They were joined by
Christopher Yemenidjian, a second-year student at El Camino College and
Tina Avanessian, a first-year student at UC Irvine.
Arzoo was assigned an externship with the Genocide Education Project
where he worked on developing materials community members can use to
encourage high school administrators to set up Genocide Education
Project workshops for their teachers. The Genocide Education Project
provides curricular materials and training for teachers to teach about
genocide and the Armenian Genocide.
As an intern assigned to office Media and Public Relations, Avanessian
helped organize several press conferences hosted by the ANCA-WR and its
local affiliates throughout the 19 western US states. Additionally, she
maintained the organization’s media outreach database and authored
several press releases regarding ANC activities including district
office meetings with congressional offices as well as community events.
As part of the ANCA-WR IEP’s newest externship partnership, Harutyunyan
worked with the Foundation for Economic Development (FED) on several
research and promotional projects related to the California Armenia
Trade Office (CATO). The FED is a non-governmental organization
assigned by the state to operate CATO which facilitates trade between
California and Armenia as well as the other former Soviet states and
Eastern Europe.
Yemenidjian worked with the ANCA-WR office as a Community and Government
Affairs intern where he worked with staff to coordinate and participate
in congressional district office meetings throughout the western US
states. He also assisted in outreach efforts to Armenian Americans
affiliated with the Republican Party and monitored the office’s various
activist databases.
"I originally applied to the program because of my interest in genocide
awareness and education, but ended up with much more than I expected,"
noted Arzoo. "Not only did I help the Genocide Education Project, but I
had the chance to get to know a diverse group of students who each felt
strongly about finding their own way to be involved in and support our
community. I learned a lot about the issues and I also made friends
with whom I look forward to continuing to work beyond the internship
program."
Arzoo and Yemenidjian will be attending UC Berkeley in the autumn and
plan to remain active advocates through the San Francisco Bay Area ANC.
Harutyunyan, who has also been accepted to UC Berkeley, will be
remaining active with the Foundation for Economic Development.
Avanessian, a Glendale resident, will continue working with the regional
office and her local, Crescenta Valley ANC. Upon returning to Irvine
for the autumn term, she hopes to become involved with the Orange County
ANC as well.
Aside from learning and participating in the day-to-day operations of
the regional office, program participants also traveled with the ANCA-WR
to both the California Republican Party and California Democratic Party
conventions. They also worked with ANCA-WR staff to represent the
organization at conferences and community events – such as the "Silenced
Cries" and "4-24" Armenian Genocide awareness benefit concerts.
"The regional Internship-Externship Program is designed to help shape
more informed, experienced, and confident Armenian American issues
advocates," notes Haig Hovsepian, ANCA-WR Community Relations Director
and IEP Coordinator. "The 2007 Spring Session class distinguished
itself in its commitment and dedication to the job, but also
demonstrated great growth during their time in the program learning more
about the issues, networking with the community, and building strong
friendships with one another. We look forward to their continued
involvement in their local ANCs and with our future internship classes."
The Armenian National Committee of America is the largest and most
influential Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working
in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters
throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the
world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American
community on a broad range of issues.
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Photo Caption: The 2007 Spring Session Internship-Externship Program
class (from left to right) Andre Arzoo, Hovhannes Harutyunyan, Tina
Avanessian, and Christopher Yemenidjian.