Armenian Assembly accepts summer internship applications

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) announced that the application deadline for the 2013 Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship Program in Washington, DC is December 1, 2012. Additionally, applications for the Assembly's internship program in Armenia will also be accepted through January 10, 2013.

The Terjenian-Thomas Internship Program recently celebrated its 35th year at the Assembly's Gala in California, which included remarks by former intern Mark Hoplamazian, President and CEO of Hyatt Hotels Corporation in Chicago. Hoplamazian fondly recalled his internship at the Federal Reserve Bank and the bonds made with fellow Armenians from across the country. Hoplamazian credited the Assembly internship with instilling an "ethic of engagement" that continues to this day.

The eight-week summer program is designed to provide college students of Armenian descent the opportunity to intern in the nation's capital, while taking part in a full schedule of educational, social and cultural activities. Students accepted to the Washington program are assisted in securing an internship placement in congressional offices, think tanks, media outlets, government agencies or non-governmental organizations based on their educational background and interests.

Interns will have the opportunity to discuss Armenian-American issues during meetings with Members of Congress and other government officials and noted academics through the Capitol Ideas and Lecture Series programs. Over 950 students have taken part in the popular program since its inception in 1977.

Partial and full housing scholarships for the Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship Program in Washington, DC are available to qualified students on a competitive basis. Applications are available on the Assembly's Web site.

The Assembly also offers a similar internship program in Yerevan, Armenia. Now entering its 13th year, the Yerevan program provides students the opportunity to live and work in one of the most historically and culturally rich countries in the world. Students will work in Armenian government agencies, non-governmental organizations, medical centers, media outlets and more, as well as meet with Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh officials and tour historical sites in and around the country.

From its earliest phases the Armenian community strongly supported the Assembly Summer Internship Program with major gifts from the Richard Tufenkian Memorial Fund, the John Hanessian Scholarship Fund, the Armen Astarjian Scholarship Fund, the Ohanian Memorial Fund, James and Connie Melikian and the Knights of Vartan.

In 2003, the Armenian Assembly's Summer Internship Program was renamed in honor of Aram and Florence Terjenian and Annie Thomas after the announcement of their pace-setting $1 million donation to the program.