Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
[email protected]

PRESS RELEASE

September 30, 2008
Contact: Serouj Aprahamian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

ANCA CAPITAL GATEWAY PROGRAM OPENS
PUBLIC POLICY DOORS FOR FALL 2008 PARTICIPANTS

WASHINGTON, DC - The Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA) Capital Gateway Program welcomed five new participants to
the nation's capital this month, each eager to embark on careers
in politics and public policy.

Now in its fifth consecutive year, the Gateway Program helps
applicants attain exciting internships and challenging full-time
public policy jobs in the nation's capital. To date, over forty
fellows have gone through the program and secured positions in
dozens of Congressional offices, as well as esteemed media and
political institutions such as Congressional Quarterly, the US
Chamber of Commerce, Export-Import Bank (EXIM), SRCP Media and
the World Bank.

The five Fall, 2008 participants hit the ground running in
Washington, landing Congressional internships within weeks of
their arrival. "Being in DC for only a week and having already
secured internships on the Hill is very exciting for both me and
my colleagues," said Meri Telelyan, a recent University of
California, Santa Barbara graduate currently interning for Rep.
Mike Thompson (D-CA). "Of course, our ultimate goal is to find
permanent positions working in Congress."

Joining Telelyan is fellow UC Santa Barbara graduate Grigor
Mirza-Avakyan, who is interning with central California
Congressman Sam Farr (D-CA). Mikael Kourinian and Shant
Nahapetian, both from California and both with Masters degrees
in Public Administration, have also set in motion their careers
in DC with internships for Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY) and Rep.
Howard Berman (D-CA), respectively. A fifth participant from
Detroit, Aleek Kahramanian, was the final Fellow to arrive and
join her new roommates at the Gateway house, located just a
stone's throw away from the White House. Kahramanian is
currently interning with Senate Armed Services Committee
Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI)

"It is often difficult to pick up one's life, leave family and
friends, and move across country to pursue a dream," says
Nahapetian. "But the ANCA Capital Gateway program provides the
resources, mentoring, and encouragement to significantly ease
the burdens such a drastic life change may entail."

In addition to excelling academically and having a passion for
politics, each of the five Fellows has also demonstrated a track
record of commitment to the Armenian American community.
Kourinian, recently wrapped up a summer internship with the ANC-
WR and looks forwarding to handling Armenian American issues as
one of his main tasks for Congressman Crowley. "I am grateful to
the ANCA Capital Gateway Program for giving me the opportunity
to make my dream of working in Congress and addressing Armenian
American issues a reality," says Kourinian. Kourinian is also
interning with the Hudson Institute, in his pursuit of a policy
position in a think tank.

As in the past, Washington DC area Armenian American policy
professionals have reached out to the ANCA Capital Gateway
Fellows, offering them valuable advice and encouragement. Among
community activists always ready to share insights is Senate
Banking Committee Senior Counsel Dean Shahinian, who brings
insight both from the Congressional and U.S. government agency
perspective.

"It's wonderful how many doors suddenly appear in front of you
when you get here," says Mirz-Avakyan. "Regardless of what
preconceptions you might have had, it's hard to have anything
but confidence that you're in the right place at the right
time."

Established through a generous donation from the Cafesjian
Family Foundation, the Capital Gateway Program, over the years,
has benefited tremendously from the generosity of donors
committed to creating public service opportunities for young
Armenian Americans. The leading financial contributor to the
Program has been the family of Hovig Apo Saghdejian, a 23-year
old youth leader and community activist from Fresno, California,
who lost his life in 2004 in a tragic car accident. His family
established the Hovig Apo Saghdejian Memorial Fund in his
memory. Substantial support has also been provided by longtime
ANCA benefactors Mr. and Mrs. Frank and Barbara Hekimian and the
Armenian American Veterans Post of Milford, Massachusetts
(AAVO).

For more information, email ANCA Capital Gateway Program
Director Serouj Aprahamian at [email protected]

#####

Caption: ANCA Capital Gateway Program Fall 2008 participants Grigor
Mirza-Avakyan, Meri Telelyan, Mikael Kourinian, Aleek Kahramanian, and
Shant Nahapetian.