Armenian National Committee – Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353
ancwr@anca.org /
PRESS RELEASE
: July 31, 2007
Contact: Haig Hovsepian
Tel: (818) 500-1918
ANC-WR Internship-Externship Program’s Summer Session
Reaches Half Way Mark
Los Angeles, CA – The summer session of the Armenian National Committee –
Western Region Internship-Externship Program (ANC-WR IEP) is once again off
to a strong start. Students from across the greater Los Angeles area began
the summer session on Monday June 18, 2007 and finished the first half of
the program on Friday July 20, 2007. Participants were selected from
several applicants to the program that included students from across the
western United States.
Established in June 2006, the ANC-WR IEP is a selective and intensive
program that provides student leaders and activists with an opportunity to
participate in an intensive internship designed to provide an in-depth
introduction to Armenian American issues as well as advocacy efforts on the
federal, state and local level. The program hosts spring, summer and autumn
sessions. The summer session is a ten week program featuring a weekly
lecture and seminar series as well as special events.
The ANC-WR IEP 2007 Summer Session’s participants are Nareg Bostanian,
Taleen Mardirossian, Aida Siyahian, and Ankineh Zadoorian.
Nareg Bostanian is a senior at Holy Martyrs Armenian High School where he is
an athlete as well as active writer and editor for the Ferrahian newspaper,
Hyelights. As a Community and Government Affairs Intern, he has worked
closely with ANC-WR staff to set up meetings with members of Congress and
investigate opposition from the professional lobbying community to H. Res.
106, the Armenian Genocide Resolution.
Taleen Mardirossian is a sophomore at El Camino College majoring in
political science. She is participating in the program’s externship with
the Foundation for Economic Development, Inc., a non-profit organization
that helps coordinate the California Trade Office (CATO). The CATO promotes
trade and economic development between the Golden State and Eastern Europe,
Western Asia, the Caucasus and the Newly Independent States (NIS). Working
under the supervision of FED Executive Director and CATO Trade Specialist
Johnny Nalbandian, Mardirossian has helped promote the FED/CATO’s activities
to the media and public as well as explored the ways in which trade missions
are organized.
Aida Siyahian is also a senior at Holy Martyrs Armenian High School where
she is an athlete and member of the school’s Model United Nations and
Science Bowl teams. Specializing in Public and Media Relations, Aida has
helped the ANC-WR inform the public about its accomplishments, events and
activities through press releases and media outreach. She has also worked
with Western Region staff and its local affiliates to increase awareness of
local ANC communities.
Ankineh Zadoorian is a junior at California State Long Beach majoring in
political science with a minor in Middle Eastern Studies. As an intern
specializing in Community and Government Affairs she has worked with the
ANC-WR staff to explore opportunities for, and encourage Armenian Americans
to, engage in public service through community organizations. She has also
worked with the Los Angeles-Yerevan Sister City Association to plan,
organize, and sponsor events and programs aimed at building stronger ties
between Los Angeles and the capital of Armenia.
Since October 2006, Hovsepian has visited high school and college campuses
to discuss the ANC-WR IEP and similar ANC-related job and internship
opportunities for students. He has also presented the program at community
events throughout California and the Western Region states.
Emphasizing the educational aspect of the ANC-WR IEP, Hovsepian explains,
"The program is a learning process for everyone. Being surrounded by the
Armenian youth and their thoughts brings about new ideas for the ANC. We are
all very glad that the second summer session started off strongly, and as we
head into the second half we look forward to even more events and activities
we hope will broaden the scope of our interns’ advocacy experience."
The Application for ANC-WR IEP Autumn Session is now available online. The
deadline for the 2007 autumn session is Friday, August 17, 2007. More
information about and applications for the program are available online by
visiting the "Capitol Gateway" section of the ANCA website ().
The Armenian National Committee – Western Region is the largest and most
influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the
Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices,
chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated
organizations around the country, the ANC-WR advances the concerns of the
Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.