Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email anca@anca.org
Internet

PRESS RELEASE

March 3, 2008
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

ANCA CAPITAL GATEWAY PROGRAM WELCOMES NEW PARTICIPANT; SALUTES
ACHIEVEMENTS OF PROGRAM ALUMNI

WASHINGTON, DC — Talar Shekherdimian, a native of La Crescenta,
California, is the latest young Armenian American to travel to
Washington, DC for the Armenian National Committee of America’s
(ANCA) Capital Gateway Program. In less than a week following her
arrival in the nation’s capital, she successfully secured an
internship with the office of California Congresswoman Grace
Napolitano (D-CA-38), is soon to begin work with a prominent law
firm in the area.

Shekherdimian arrived in Washington, DC in January under the
auspices of the Hovig Apo Saghdejian Memorial Fellowship, a special
fund established to open up doors for young Armenians seeking
opportunities in politics and public service. The fellowship is
named in honor Hovig Saghdejian, a 23-year-old youth leader from
Fresno, Calif., who tragically passed away in 2004. It was
established by his family to serve as a tribute to the their son’s
legacy of activism in the Armenian American community.

As a long-time member of the AYF and Homenetmen in Southern
California, Shekherdimian was aware of Hovig’s involvement and
became acquainted with the program his memorial fund helped
establish. She decided to apply for the program after finishing a
Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from California State
University, Long Beach. "I wanted to come to DC to gain experience
on the Hill and explore civil and criminal issues in more depth,"
said Shekherdimian. "The ANCA Capital Gateway Program provided the
perfect opportunity for me to come out here and get a head start on
achieving my career goals."

In addition to exposing Shekherdimian to a host of constituent
civil rights issues, working for Rep. Napolitano has given her
insight into the inner workings of the American Congress.
"Interning on the Hill allows you to really understand how the
political system operates and gives you the chance to interact
directly with the major decision makers of this country," she
explains. Shekherdimian hopes to use her experience in DC as a
stepping-stone for further opportunities in the Department of
Justice, and plans to eventually pursue a law degree in Criminal
and Juvenile justice.

Two other recent Capital Gateway Fellows, Astine Suleimanyan and
Daniel Stepanian-Bennett, have also succeeded in establishing
themselves in the nation’s capital. Suleimanyan recently accepted
a field-working position with the American Civil Liberties Union
(ACLU) and Stepanian-Bennett found a full-time position with SRCP
Media, a Republican-oriented political marketing firm. All three
Fellows reside in a two-story apartment provided by the program and
located conveniently in the heart of northwest DC.

In the coming months, Capital Gateway Program Director, Serouj
Aprahamian, will be looking to expand efforts to promote this
unique program on college campuses throughout the country. He
recently returned from a trip to New Jersey where he gave a
presentation about the program to the Rutgers University Armenian
Club and will be making similar presentations at various other
schools. The newly launched CampusCause.com ()
will also directly provide students regularly updated information
about the program.

For further details or to access an application for the program,
please visit and click on the "Capital Gateway" link,
or call (202) 775-1918 and ask for Serouj Aprahamian. Applications
are accepted on a rolling basis.

####

Photo Caption: Capital Gateway Fellow Talar Shekherdimian,
volunteering time at the ANCA, following her Congressional
internship.