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

February 28, 2008

Contact: Ani Garabedian

ANC-WR Internship-Externship Program 2008 Spring Session Off to Strong Start

Los Angeles, CA – In a short period of time, three Armenian American
students are making an impact as participants in the Armenian National
Committee-Western Region’s Internship-Externship Program (ANC-WR IEP).
Lori Kechichian, Carina Khanjian, and Christine Semerdjian have joined
the ANC-WR IEP for the 2008 Spring Session and have already started
tackling several projects.

A graduating senior from Ferrahian High School in Encino, CA, Kechihian
joins the program as an Administration and Development Intern. In
the coming months she will be working on developing multi-media
promotional material for the ANC-WR IEP.

Khanjian, also a graduating senior from Rose and Alex Pilibos High
School in Hollywood, CA has been helping the ANC-WR reach out to the
community as a Public and Media Relations Intern. Already she has
contributed greatly to the Western Region’s outreach efforts.

Semerdjian, a Community and Government Affairs Intern, will be leading
a team effort voter registration drive by the interns. A graduate of
TCA Arshag Dikranian High School, she joins the program from Woodbury
University where she is pursuing a major in Communication Studies
and a minor in Law and Society.

"Interning at the ANC regional office has been a very interesting and
educational experience so far," says Kechichian. "I look forward to
working with Carina and Christine to increase Armenian American voter
registration in the coming months."

Along with the voter registration drive and the upcoming California
Democratic Party convention, the interns will be completing their
projects and working with the regional office and local ANCs to
advance issues at the federal, state and local levels.

"We welcome Lori, Carina, and Christine to the Western Region office,"
said Haig Hovsepian, ANC-WR Community Relations Director and ANC-WR
Internship-Externship Program Coordinator. "We look forward to their
participation in the program, as well as making a positive impact
during their time here with us," he added.

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 a program 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 application deadline for the 2008 Summer Session is
March 1st (postmarked). For more information about the IEP
and a downloadable version of the application please visit
.php.

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.

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