TERJENIAN-THOMAS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

The Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship Program provides college students of Armenian descent an opportunity to gain exposure to the policy-making process in our nation’s capital for eight weeks each summer. Since 1977, the Armenian Assembly of America has assisted over 1,000 participants in securing placements in prominent congressional offices, government agencies, media outlets, think-tanks, and non-governmental organizations in Washington.

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For internship FAQ's, click here.

Internship Placement

Involves carrying out a variety of assigned responsibilities from simple office tasks to research and writing. The Assembly will guide and assist you through the process of securing an internship placement in Washington, DC. Applicants may pursue an internship placement independently; however they must still commit to participating in the Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship Program and all of its activities. Most internship placements involve a standard eight-hour work day five days a week. The internships are unpaid, and interns are given responsibilities on the basis of their educational background and on-site performance.

To view a list of just some of our past placements, please click here.

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For more intern testimonials, please click here. 

Capitol Ideas

Provides interns with the opportunity to meet with Senators and Representatives in their Capitol Hill offices. The program provides interns a forum to ask questions of our elected officials about topics that are important to the Armenian-American community and about current events taking place throughout the world. Capitol Ideas events generally take place during the work day, and placement hosts or offices are notified in advance of the interns daily schedule. These meetings are mandatory for all participants.

Lecture Series

Focuses specifically on issues of importance to the Armenian-American community. It is designed to inform and encourage discussion on a range of issues, including U.S. foreign policy toward Armenia and Artsakh. The Armenian Assembly invites experts and leaders in their fields to review current political issues, with a focus on the South Caucasus. These lectures are mandatory for all participants. Lectures are usually held at the Assembly headquarters unless advised otherwise.

Social Activities

Washington offers a summer-long series of festivals, open-air concerts, cultural activities and museum exhibits that provide an exciting variety of choices for the program participants to enjoy. Activities are organized to allow interns the opportunity to interact with one another outside of the work week. These social gatherings are encouraged but are not a mandatory part of the program.

Residence

All participants are housed at the prestigious Georgetown University. Founded in 1789, Georgetown is the oldest Catholic and Jesuit institution of higher education in the United States. Located in Washington DC’s historic Georgetown neighborhood, the university’s main campus is noted for the Neo-Medieval Healy Hall, a National Historic Landmark.

Selection Process

Participants are chosen for this competitive program on the basis of their educational credentials, writing ability, maturity and a demonstrated interest in the community and public service. A limited number of scholarships are available which help cover the cost of housing at Georgetown University, where the interns reside.

Program Support

The Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship Program is made possible by the Memorial Fund established through the generosity of Aram Terjenian, Annie Thomas and Florence Terjenian of Belmont, Massachusetts. Additional support comes from the Richard Tufenkian Memorial Fund, the John Hanessian Scholarship Fund, the Armen Astarjian Scholarship Fund, the Ohanian Memorial Fund, the Estate of Haig J. Boyadjian, the Estate of George Judge Karabedian (George Kay), Mr. & Mrs. James and Connie Melikian and the Knights of Vartan.

Application & Selection

For this competitive program participants are chosen on the basis of their educational credentials, writing ability, maturity, and a demonstrated interest in community and public service. A limited number of scholarships are available which cover the cost of housing at Georgetown University, where the interns reside.