Assembly Announces 2023 Summer Internships in Washington, DC & Yerevan

Armenian Assembly of America Terjenian-Thomas interns met with Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA) last summer to participate in policy-related conversations, and discuss issues relating to Armenia and Artsakh.

Washington, D.C. - The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) is now accepting applications for the 2023 Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship Program in Washington, D.C. and the Assembly Summer Internship Program in Yerevan, Armenia. These unique internship programs provide college students of Armenian descent an opportunity to work in the two nations’ capitals while taking part in a full schedule of educational, cultural, and social activities. Applications for the D.C. and Yerevan programs will be accepted until Friday, December 10, 2022, and Friday, January 14, 2022, respectively. Students who are accepted into the Washington, D.C. program are assisted with internship placements in various offices, including congressional, think tank, media, and governmental agencies. Participants will have the opportunity to meet with U.S. Representatives, Senators, and other government officials as well as noted academics, business leaders and entrepreneurs through the Capitol Ideas and Lecture Series programs. Interns will also benefit from a wide variety of networking opportunities and social activities that are planned throughout their eight-week stay.

Armenian Assembly of America Yerevan interns with Armen Grigoryan, Secretary of the National Security Council of Armenia.

Students admitted into the Yerevan internship program are placed in Armenian governmental offices, inter-governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, medical centers, media outlets, and more. Over the course of eight weeks, participants will have the opportunity to experience life in their ancestral homeland, tour historical sites around Armenia, help build a home in a provincial region of Armenia with Fuller Center for Housing, and meet with officials representing Armenia and Artsakh. "Being a Terjenian-Thomas Intern in Washington D.C. was an invaluable experience for which I could not be more grateful," said Lily Kalandjian, a 2022 participant who interned for Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL). "I had the opportunity to connect with other Armenian students across the country and Armenian professionals including Capitol Hill staffers, Wold Bank traders, and McDonald's executives," she continued. "Directly meeting with United States Representatives and Senators to advocate for Armenian issues and support for Artsakh was an amazing way to give back to my community and further the Armenian cause. I able to get in touch with my Armenian heritage on a deeper level and create lifelong friends. I will be forever grateful for this opportunity provided by the Armenian Assembly as it has afforded me an experience of a lifetime," concluded Kalandjian. "The Assembly really takes everything into account and sets up professional internships, meetings with leaders, and visiting touristic sites," said 2019 participant Michelle Ohanian, a student at UCLA who interned with the Permanent Representation of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (Artsakh) in Armenia. "I would definitely recommend the program as a whole because it's a unique opportunity and it's crucial that we become connected with our homeland." Students can access the application and learn more information about the program here. For additional details or assistance with the application process, please contact Intern Program Director Joseph Piatt at 202-393-3434 ext. 336 or via email jpiatt@aaainc.org.

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

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