The Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship Program gives 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 Assembly has assisted over 950 participants in securing placements in prominent congressional offices, government agencies, media outlets, think-tanks and non-governmental organizations in Washington. Placements have included the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, Armenian Embassy, Library of Congress, and Voice of America, to name a few. Check our Frequently Asked Questions page on internships in Washington, DC.
There are four major components to the program:
Internship: An internship involves carrying out assigned responsibilities in one's place of employment. The Assembly will guide and assist you through the process of securing an internship placement in Washington DC. 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 performance on the job.
Capitol Ideas: This program 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 working day, and employers are notified in advance of the interns' schedules. 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 on a range of issues, including U.S. foreign policy towards Armenia and Karabakh. 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.
Social Activities: Social activities are planned for interns to experience the nation's capital. Interns usually celebrate the Fourth of July on the Mall and often enjoy 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. Activities are organized to allow interns the opportunity to interact with one another outside of the work week. These social gatherings are not a mandatory part of the program.
Placement: The Terjerian-Thomas Internship program will assist you in finding a suitable on or off site internship placement where you will be able to gain experience in your specific field of interest. For a list of just some of our past placements please click here.
Application and 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.
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.
