January 27, 2020
ANCA-WR Spring 2021 interns
On Monday, January 25, the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region kicked off its Spring 2021 Internship session with 14 interns. The Interns will work for the next 15 weeks with staff members on different initiatives that focus on government affairs, genocide prevention, genocide and Artsakh education, grassroots advocacy, and other related fields.
A portion of the program is also dedicated to weekly lecture series featuring guest lecturers, including public officials and Armenian-American community leaders and professional development workshops. All of the interns joined the program in early September and assisted the ANCA-WR during the wartime with advocacy, media monitoring, raising awareness through social media campaigns, and other initiatives. They all expressed their interest in continuing their internship to maximize the opportunity to serve their community for another term.
“The ANCA-WR Internship Program is proof of our organization’s unbending commitment to cultivating future leaders for our community and nation” remarked Verginie Touloumian, ANCA-WR Community Outreach Director. “We are excited to resume another session, where the interns will gain valuable skills and have a direct impact on the advancement of Armenian American issues” she continued.
Over the past 15 years, close to 150 Armenian-Americans have completed the ANCA-WR’s Internship Program, having gained a variety of new skills ranging from conducting in-depth research, to working with the media, meeting with representative officials and engaging in politics and diplomacy. Most importantly, they have all had the opportunity to contribute and impact the Armenian-American community. For most of them, their activism still continues today in a variety of capacities.
The interns will once again participate in the program virtually, due to COVID-19.
The ANCA-WR Spring 2021 Interns are:
Mary Andranikyan, Cal State University of Northridge (CSUN)
Fiyouneh Bazgosha, Glendale Community College (GCC)
Arin Boyadjian, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Christina Chiranian, University of California, Irvine (UCI)
Knar Geghamyan, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Mischa Gureghian-Hall, Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School
Anush Hakobyan, University of Portland (UP)
Christine Hakobyan, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Shaunt Kludjian, University of Southern California (USC)
Hovig Manoyan, Cal Poly Pomona (CPP)
Serena Pelenghian, Occidental College (Oxy)
Serlie Pouladian, Pasadena City College (PCC)
Christopher Rybus, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Peter Tangikyan, Brown University (BU)
Established in summer 2006, the ANCA Western Region Internship Program is a selective part-time leadership program, which introduces college students and recent college graduates to all aspects of the public affairs arena. The program provides an opportunity for student leaders and activists to gain an in- depth understanding of the American political system, Armenian-American issues and advocacy efforts on the local, state and federal levels. Summer session of the program will begin in June of 2021; interested students can find more information on the program’s website.
The Armenian National Committee of America-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 ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.
