The Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship Program gives college students of Armenian descent an opportunity to live and work in Washington, D.C. for eight weeks each summer. At the same time, interns gain exposure to the policy-making process in our nation's capital. Since 1977, the Assembly has placed nearly 900 interns in the offices of prominent Senators and Representatives, the Department of Commerce, the World Bank, the Federal Reserve Board, C-SPAN, the Center for Strategic and International Studies and many other government agencies, think tanks, media outlets and advocacy groups. Check our Frequently Asked Questions page on internships in Washington, DC.
There are four major components to the program: Internship; Capitol Ideas; Lecture Series; and Social Activities.
Internship: This is the work that an intern does at his/her place of employment. Most internships involve a standard eight-hour work day. The internships are unpaid, and interns are given responsibilities on the basis of their educational background and performance on the job. Some of the more successful interns have received job offers from their respective offices.
Capitol Ideas: This program provides the interns the opportunity to meet with Senators and Representatives. The objective is to give interns a forum to ask questions to our elected officials about topics that are important to the Armenian-American community and about events taking place in the U.S. and around the world. Capitol Ideas takes place during the working day, and employers are notified ahead of time of the meeting schedule. These meetings are mandatory for all participants.
Lecture Series: The Lecture Series focuses specifically on issues of importance to the Armenian-American community. It is designed to inform and encourage debate among the interns about the structure of the Armenian community, U.S. foreign policy toward Armenia and Karabakh, as well as to hear what experts have to say about the South Caucasus. These lectures are mandatory for all participants. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Newsline Publisher Paul Goble, syndicated columnist Philip Terzian and human rights activist Kathryn Porter are among those who have addressed Assembly interns in previous years.
Social Activities: The Washington area is fascinating, and social activities are planned for interns to experience the nation's capital. Interns celebrate the Fourth of July on the Mall and are often hosted by local trustee families for summer picnics. In addition to the activities organized by the internship program, 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 while in Washington. Social activities are organized so that participants of the program have the opportunity to interact with one another outside of the work week. However, these social gatherings are not a mandatory part of the program.
Placement: The Terjerian-Thomas Internship program will be able to place you in an office where you will be able to gain experience regarding your specific field of interest. For a list of just some of our past placements please click here.
Application and Selection: 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.
Applicants should be aware that this is a highly competitive program, which organizes an extensive list of evening lectures and Capitol Ideas meetings throughout the summer. Attendance at these events is mandatory. Thus, potential applicants should possess a high commitment level.
