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PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Record Number of AGBU Interns Arrive in New York, Paris and Yerevan
for Summer of Professional and Cultural Enrichment
Sixty-seven college-age Armenians from around the world are
participating in this summer’s AGBU intern programs in New York, Paris
and Yerevan–the most ever.
On June 14, 2009, 30 students of Armenian descent arrived from 11
countries (Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Italy,
Lebanon, Netherlands, Syria, Russia, and the United States) to
participate in the 2009 New York Summer Intern Program (NYSIP).
One of those lucky participants is Aram Sethian from Los Angeles, who
is interning at March Partners, a hedge fund, and after only a few
weeks his corporate and personal experience has already proven to be
remarkable. "Besides being able to put together an amazing group, the
New York Summer Intern Program staff has also developed an
unparalleled skill of personalizing every intern’s experience. The
result is my ability to truly claim the internship as my own," he
said. "Moreover, my boss is a proud Armenian who serves as a very
influential role model for my own development not only in my career,
but in my sense of duty and obligation to promote the tireless efforts
of organizations like the AGBU in making programs like these possible
for the next generation."
Like Sethian, this year’s New York interns are working at a number of
major international organizations and firms, including Axa Advisors,
International Assets, Rothschild, Merrill Lynch, Interaudi Bank, March
Partners, 5WPR, Mirror Ball, Ruder Finn, Experian Simmons, Armenia
Permanent Mission, Near East Relief, Middle East and Middle Eastern
American Center at CUNY, Animal Medical Center, Columbia University
Hospital, STV Construction, Sarkissian Mason, Meaningful World, ASG
Advisors, Eurasia Group, First Solar and Araks Fashion.
In Yerevan, 25 interns arrived on June 27 to work in various positions
at ABA/CEELI, Academy for Educational Development, ACBA, ACNIS,
AmeriaBank, Armenbrok, ArmeniaNow, AUA Public Health Research Center,
Deem Communications, Ministry of Defense, #2 Hospital Neurology,
GAIFF, HSBC, Karagozian Children’s Clinic, Medical University
Hospital, Ombudsman’s Office, The Future is Yours nonprofit, the
United Nations office in Yerevan, and the Women’s Resource Center. The
youngest of AGBU’s intern programs, the Yerevan Summer Intern Program
(YSIP) offers a very unique experience to diasporan Armenian youth who
want to pair their cultural enrichment with real hands-on work
experience in another country.
YSIP Activities Coordinator Aleen Tina Tovmasian is an alumna of
YSIP’s first season in 2006. Knowing what a difference the program can
make in someone’s life, she returned to help the students get the most
out of their experience. "Now, a week into the program, I am confident
that each of the interns has decided to embrace the cultural
differences and delve head first into all that Armenia has to offer,"
Tovmasian said.
Anna Abalyan arrived in Yerevan from the United States and has been
exposed to another type of work experience that she would’ve never
known otherwise. "During my first day at my internship, all my
co-workers were extremely welcoming…They seemed to know so much
about each other and they genuinely cared about each other’s lives. Of
the jobs I have held in the states, I was never so close with any of
my co-workers, but here I felt like I was part of a family, not just a
company," she said.
On July 1, 12 students from Armenia, Canada, France, Russia and the
United States arrived in Paris to participate in the AGBU Paris Summer
Intern Program (PSIP) and soak up the magic of the French
capital. Armenian-American college student Tanya Hajjar is interning
at Radio France Internationale (RFI) this summer and she has already
been overwhelmed by the success of her experience. "My very first day,
I wrote up a news story that was later broadcast on international
radio. Being able to work with journalists to see how RFI operates has
been amazing; I might never have had this opportunity elsewhere," she
said. "Living at the Maison d’Armenie [in Paris] is an experience I’m
not likely to forget. Walking through the halls of the building, you
can hear a mix of Armenian, French, and English—to name a few…At
first I was a little worried that I would have difficulty
communicating with some of the other interns, as my Armenian is far
from perfect. But there haven’t been any problems. One of my new
Armenian friends summed it up nicely. ‘Where there’s a will, there’s a
way.’"
In addition to RFI, AGBU interns in Paris are working at France
Loisirs, Kalayciyan Architects, Association française de la Relation
Client, Pierre & Marie Curie University, Lefèvre Pelletier &
Associates, Grant Thornton, Musée d’Orsay, Institut Supérieur des
Métiers, and Groupement Interprofessionnel International Arménien.
The New York, Paris and Yerevan summer intern programs will conclude
in August.
The AGBU New York Summer Intern Program (NYSIP) (agbu.org/nysip) was
established in 1987 by Vartkess and Rita Balian. NYSIP places young,
aspiring Armenians in eight-week internships in leading academic,
cultural, financial, governmental, legal, media and medical
institutions in New York, while providing a well-rounded program of
Armenian cultural, educational and community-service activities.
Sponsored by AGBU France District, the AGBU Paris Summer Intern
Program (students.agbueurope.org/psip) was established in 2003,
placing young aspiring Armenians in seven-week internships working for
leading organizations in Paris.
Sponsored by the AGBU Central Board of Directors, the AGBU Yerevan
Summer Intern Program (agbu.org/ysip) was established in 2007, placing
young aspiring Armenians in five-week internships in the corporate,
political, communications, and medical fields of Armenia. In addition,
there is an all-inclusive agenda of Armenian dance, language, culture
and history lessons, plus weekend trips to various regions around the
country.
For more information on AGBU and its worldwide programs, please visit