Armenian National Committee – Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353
PRE SS RELEASE
: July 24, 2007
Contact: Haig Hovsepian
Tel: (818) 500-1918
ANCA Leo Sarkisian Intern Focus: West San Fernando Valley’s Shant Hagopian
Washington, DC – Shant Hagopian, a member of the West San Fernando Valley
ANC and a participant in this year’s Leo Sarkisian Internship (LSI) program,
is in Washington this summer supporting the Armenian Cause. Shant was
selected in May of this year to be one of four individuals from California
to serve in the distinguished ANCA "Leo Sarkisian" Internship (LSI) Program.
The ANCA-LSI Program is funded by the Armenian National Committee – Western
Region (ANC-WR). Named after long-time ANC activist Leo Sarkisian, the
program brings together young Armenian Americans from across the United
States and Canada to gain first-hand experience in the American political
system while working on issues of concern to the Armenian American
community.
"Shant Hagopian is a shining example of why the ANC is committed to invest
in the future of the community," commented ANC-WR Chairman Raffi Hamparian.
"Every Armenian American should be proud of Shant and the work he and his
colleagues are doing in the nation’s capital," Hamparian added.
Hagopian is a political science major that will be matriculating at the
University of California, Berkeley this autumn. Aside from his work with
the West San Fernando Valley ANC, he has served as a senator with the
student government at Los Angeles’ Pierce College and interned with
California State Assembly Member Fran Pavley.
During his time in the nation’s capital, Hagopian has already made a
tremendous impact in his efforts. He has played a major role in working with
ANCA staff to build support for the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H. Res.
106). Hagopian, with his fellow interns, has been assigned the task of
working with local communities to obtain cosponsorship support from five
Members of Congress from around the country for H. Res. 106. Hagopian has
also traveled to Capitol Hill to personally honor Members of the
Congressional Human Rights Caucus and recently met with his Congressman,
Representative Henry Waxman (D-CA-30). Hagopian and his fellow interns have
also attended various lectures as part of an eight part seminar series. The
series has featured presentations by 1) ANCA-ER Executive Director Karine
Birazian on community activism as a working professional; 2) the
Representative of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) in the United States
Vardan Barseghian who provided an overview of the NKR region and the
politics between Armenia, NKR and Azerbaijan, and 3) U.S. Department of
Treasury Senior Economist David Joulfaian presented on the economic status
of Armenia.
Now in its 23rd year, the ANCA LSI Program provides student leaders and
activists an opportunity to participate in an intensive 8-week program
designed to give them the tools necessary to effectively advance issues of
concern to the Armenian American community on the federal, state and local
level. The LSI Program is a competitive and prestigious internship program
and is widely considered to be the best program of its kind for Armenian
American college students.
In addition to Shant Hagopian, the 2007 LSI Program participants from the
Western United States are Alex Der Alexanian, Dzovak Kazandjian, and Chris
Yemenidjian. Joining interns from Canada, Europe and the Eastern United
States, the LSI participants from the Western Region have conducted
significant and groundbreaking activities in just their first week in our
nation’s capital.
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.