GLENDALE—The Armenian National Committee of America, Glendale chapter (ANCA-Glendale) is now accepting applications for their annual fall internship program. Interested applicants should apply by visiting www.ancaglendale.org/initiatives/internship/ and submit by September 15, 2015, at 5:00 PM.
For nearly ten years the ANCA-Glendale has provided opportunities for emerging student leaders to gain an in-depth understanding of Armenian-American issues and local advocacy efforts. In addition to hands-on organizational tasks, program participants attend workshops featuring a variety of guest speakers including elected officials, ANCA leadership, media specialists, and community leaders. Interns partake in joint projects with fellow colleagues as well as individualized learning experiences ranging from media relations, mass voter mobilization, and community engagement efforts. Within eight-week participants also develop and execute a personal research project pertaining to local Glendale based issues.
“The opportunity to participate in this multidisciplinary program introduced me to the various ways I can play an active role in my community,” commented former ANCA-Glendale summer intern Henri Gurgenyan. “The combination of workshops helped me discover how I can apply my passion for technology to my growing interest in political activism. For my personal internship project, I utilized Arc-GIS to create interactive story maps for the Glendale Community College proposed districting maps to analyze voter demographics.”
The ANCA-Glendale internship program is designed to build upon the unique leadership qualities of each participant and prepare interns to succeed in their professional and academic endeavors. Former guest speakers have included ANCA National and Western Region board member Raffi Hamparian; City of Glendale Mayor Ara Najarian and City Council members Paula Devine and Zareh Sinanyan; GUSD Board of Education member Nayiri Nahabedian; Glendale City Clerk Ardashes Kassakhian; Glendale News Press columnist Katherine Yamada; former ANCA-Professional Network chairman Vicken Chitilian; Sedna Solutions founder Shant Sahakian; Asbarez English editor Ara Khachatourian; Oragark editor Zareh Adjemian; in addition to field visits to Horizon Television, Glendale City Hall, and Glendale Police Department.
“My time spent with the ANCA-Glendale was a rich experience that allowed me to directly get involved and interact with my community. I had the opportunity to develop skills in applied social research by investigating Armenian-American voter tendencies and analyze current issues of concern for south Glendale residents,” reflected Alen Shirvanyan upon concluding the ANCA-Glendale summer internship. “I am honored to now be a part of this longstanding organization.”
The ANCA-Glendale internship is a selective part-time program that will begin September 28, 2015, and conclude on November 20, 2015. Interested applicants should be between 17-21 years of age and reside within the broader Glendale area. For more information and application details, please visit https://ancaglendale.org/initiatives/internship/ or contact internship coordinator Tigranna Zakaryan: tigranna@ancaglendale.org
The ANCA-Glendale advocates for the social, economic, cultural, and political rights of the city’s Armenian American community and promotes increased civic participation at the grassroots and public policy levels.