Assembly Intern Alum Series Week 2: Lucine Beylerian

2019 Assembly Terjenian-Thomas Internship Program participant Lucine Beylerian on Capitol Hill

Washington, D.C. - The Armenian Assembly of America's Terjenian-Thomas Summer Internship Program helped Lucine Beylerian decide to pursue a professional career in government. As a legislative intern for Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), who represents Lucine's home state of New Jersey, she gained insight on government, policy, and advocacy. The two-month internship in the Office of Rep. Pallone, who also co-chairs the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, gave Lucine the opportunity to "brush elbows with some of the most influential policy makers in our country, which was an experience that I will never forget."

Lucine Beylerian alongside Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and her fellow Assembly Internship Program participants in 2019

As a rising Senior studying Philosophy at the University of Southern California (USC), Lucine enrolled in the Assembly's Internship Program because she sought to gain experience on Capitol Hill while meeting fellow students and mentors who could challenge her and broaden her horizons. "When I first applied to the program, I was undecided about my professional direction, and unsure if a career in government was right for me," said Lucine. "Spending the summer in D.C. solidified my interest in policy and advocacy, and led me to my position today." Her current role as Director of Communications and Policy at Bergen County Board of Commissioners, which acts as the county's legislative body, allows her to implement her internship experience in the fields of government, policy, and community outreach in the State of New Jersey.

Lucine pictured with Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco, Commissioner Chairwoman Tracy Zur, and members of the Bergen County Food Security Task Force staff

"Not only am I immensely grateful for the opportunity the Armenian Assembly provided me in my professional life by preparing me for the next steps in my career, I also left the program with lifelong friends and an incredibly supportive group of peers." Born and raised in Upper Saddle River, NJ, Lucine was involved in the Armenian community in various ways, including through her participation in the St. Leon Armenian Church Choir, as a member of the Armenian Church Youth Organization of America (ACYOA), and as the Event Series Director and Community Researcher at USC's Institute of Armenian Studies. Lucine followed in the footsteps of her mother, Nvair Beylerian, who was a participant in the Assembly's Internship Program in 1987, and who remains an active figure in the Armenian community. As a Board Member of the Armenian Film Foundation, a supporter of the USC Shoah Foundation (which houses Armenian Genocide testimony collections), founder and president of HYEfamily, a music production company, and in her professional roles as a history professor and former Co-Director of the Center for Peace, Justice, Reconciliation at Bergen Community College, Nvair has always advocated, educated, and informed on behalf of the Armenian people.

Lucine Beylerian continuing her grassroots activism efforts in Times Square, New York, during the annual Armenian Genocide Commemoration

While living in Washington D.C. during the summer of 2019, working on Capitol Hill, and attending events organized by the Assembly, she saw first-hand the behind-the-scenes work of the bipartisan advocacy organization, in both the nation's capital as well as Armenia and Artsakh. "In addition to the mentorship they provide to young professionals like myself, the Assembly's work is absolutely vital for Armenians in the U.S. and abroad, as they advocate for resources and bring attention to urgent crises in Armenia and Artsakh," said Lucine. "Their advocacy and tireless efforts to illuminate Armenian issues has led to countless victories, including securing aid and the recognition of the 1915 Genocide." In honor of the 45th anniversary of the Assembly's Terjenian-Thomas Internship Program, a series of articles will feature Assembly intern alum in the coming weeks.

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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