ANCA’s Signature Youth Leadership Training Program Marks 30th Year
WASHINGTON—The 2016 Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) “Leo Sarkisian” summer interns—capping off the 30th session of the ANCA’s signature youth leadership training program—returned to their campuses and communities, energized to leverage their newly acquired skills to advance Armenian American advocacy priorities.
The ANCA Leo Sarkisian Interns speaking with Rep. Jim Costa (D-Calif.) on the steps of the Capitol just prior to his visit to Armenia.
“The eight week Leo Sarkisian Internship program has been a period of immense growth,” explained California State University Northridge Junior Alyssa Dermenjian. “I enjoyed learning first-hand about the challenges facing Armenia and Artsakh—and the impact of local community actions to advance the Armenian Cause. Meeting with Rep. Roybal-Allard was a great opportunity to start a conversation about community concerns – one I hope to continue upon my return.”
From meetings and briefings on Capitol Hill to participation in various think tank events focusing on the Caucasus and the Middle East, interns received first-hand knowledge about the ways of Washington, and effective methods to share community concerns.
The 2016 Leo Sarkisian interns visited the Library of Congress, where they explored the over 40,000 strong Armenian collection. Special thanks to Dr. Levon Avdoyan, the Armenia and Georgia Area Specialist, whose annual tour is an intern favorite.
“The ANCA Leo Sarkisian Internship was a great opportunity to explore DC and Capitol Hill and immerse myself in the cause of the ANCA and American-Armenians everywhere,” explained Tufts University Senior Peter Sahagian. “I believe that I gained invaluable experience in a professional setting while pursuing my own interests and accomplishing the goals I laid down. I will take with me the lessons that I learned and the connections that I made as I advance in my own professional career.”
Throughout this whirlwind of Hai Tahd education, training and activity, each participant gained a broader understanding of the factors at play when it comes to Armenia and the advancement of Armenian American issues. Extended discussions with Armenia, Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabagh/NKR) and veteran U.S. diplomats were an important part of that education process, with Armenian Ambassador Grigor Hovhannessian, NKR Representative Robert Avetisyan and former United States Ambassador to Armenia John Evans, each offering their unique perspectives on foreign policy challenges.
They also walked away with a variety of newly gained skills ranging from conducting in-depth research, to working with the media, meeting with representative officials and even engaging in international diplomacy.
The ANCA’s Leo Sarkisian Interns with Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Robert Dold (R-Ill.) after a discussion on Artsakh freedom, the US-Armenia relationship, US policy on the Armenian Genocide, and life on Capitol Hill.
“My eight weeks as a Leo Sarkisian intern have been some of the most unforgettable of my life,” explained University of California Berkeley Junior Paul Iskajyan. “We did meaningful work in areas that interested us, and we were able to apply our specific skills and knowledge in ways that would further the Armenian Cause. This internship convinced me that I will be back in Washington when I graduate from college, hopefully through the Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program.”
Named in honor and memory of pioneering ANCA activist Leo Sarkisian, this eight-week intensive program, gives student leaders and activists the tools necessary to effectively advance Armenian American concerns on campus and in their communities. In 2003, the program was augmented with the establishment of the ANCA Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway program, a year-round internship and career placement service which provides Armenian Americans greater opportunities to explore job opportunities on Capitol Hill, in the United States Foreign Service and key Washington foreign policy think tanks. Both ANCA Leo Sarkisian Internship and Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program participants stay at The Aramian House, a landmark property purchased by the ANCA Endowment Fund through the generosity of the family of the late community leader and philanthropist Martha Aramian of Providence, R.I., which serves as the permanent home for these signature programs.
Each ANCA Leo Sarkisian intern had the opportunity to share broader Armenian American and local community concerns one-on-one with their U.S. Representative, including Alyssa Dermenjian seen here chatting with Rep. Lucille Roybal Allard (D-Calif).
University of Vienna, Austria recent graduate Nayiri Partamian referenced a quote from world renowned entertainer Charles Aznavour in describing her ANCA Leo Sarkisian summer program experience. “To participate actively in the affairs of the state, you need to live in it and share all the joys and sorrows with its citizens,” said Aznavour. “I believe in actively getting involved in the issues of your country, whether it means protests, interning and or attending an event, and I would like to see more Assyrians, Armenians and Greeks be involved in their communities and politics to bring justice for our ancestors,” explained Partamian.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans discussed his recent trip to Nagorno-Karabagh and his new book, ‘Truth Held Hostage,’ about U.S. policy on the Armenian Genocide and the very real repercussions to speaking truthfully about that crime with the ANCA Leo Sarkisian.
The ANCA Leo Sarkisian Summer Internship ran in parallel to a series of summer legal fellowships, organized in coordination with the Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program. Shahan Goenjian, Knarik Gasparyan and Anna Mehrabyan spent the summer researching a broad range of Armenian rights and reparations related issues—all the while exploring various legal opportunities Washington DC has to offer.
The ANCA Leo Sarkisian Interns sit down with Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) for a chat about the challenges and opportunities to advance community concerns on Capitol Hill and career opportunities at the nation’s capital.
Photos from the 2016 ANCA Leo Sarkisian Internship can be found on the ANCA Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/ancagrassroots/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10153865775291859
To learn more about the Leo Sarkisian Internship Program and Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program, visit the ANCA website – www.anca.org.
The Application Deadline for the Winter, 2017, Capital Gateway Program Session is Oct. 31.
The 2017 ANCA Leo Sarkisian Summer Internship Program Application Deadline is March 1, 2017.
Source: Armenian Weekly
Link: 2016 ANCA Leo Sarkisian Interns Reflect on Summer of Armenian Advocacy and Career Advancement