Assembly's 2026 Summer Internship Programs Conclude Summer of Policy Awareness, Cultural Immersion, and Career Development in Washington, D.C., and Yerevan

The Assembly's 2026 Class of Terjenian-Thomas Interns on Capitol Hill

"I don't believe I could have experienced the Assembly's Internship Program anywhere else."

Tamar Chavdarian, Terjenian-Thomas Internship class of 2026

Washington, D.C. - The Armenian Assembly of America's Terjenian-Thomas Internship Program hosted another successful summer session, giving a new cohort of Armenian American college students hands-on experience in advocacy, government, and community engagement across the nation's capital. Over the course of the summer, interns met with members of Congress, senior policy professionals, and community leaders, while also participating in cultural programming designed to deepen their connection to Armenian heritage.

The 2026 class was also the first to work out of the Assembly’s permanent National Headquarters. Located just three blocks from the White House, the newly renovated headquarters includes research and collaborative space for the Assembly’s and the Armenian National Institute’s (ANI) year-round interns and Terjenian-Thomas summer interns, along with space for ANI and its Armenian Genocide library collection, meeting spaces, and office accommodations for staff, visiting members, and guests.

“Every summer the Assembly welcomes a new class of college students to the nation’s capital and to Yerevan, and this year marked a milestone as our Terjenian-Thomas interns became the first class to work out of the Assembly’s permanent National Headquarters,” said Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. “The Assembly’s Internship Programs serve as a foundation that students carry with them as they continue their involvement and activism for the betterment of the Armenian people.”

Assembly Terjenian-Thomas interns with Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Rep. David Valadao (R-CA)

Interns engaged directly with lawmakers and congressional staff throughout the summer, advocating for Armenian American priorities, including the Armenian Genocide Education Act and other pro-Armenian bills in circulation. They met with several Members of Congress, including Reps. Jim McGovern (D-MA), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Rob Menendez (D-NJ), Judy Chu (D-CA), Laura Friedman (D-CA), George Latimer (D-NY), and Dina Titus (D-NV), and Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and attended a constituent event hosted by Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (D-CA). Interns also met with Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) to thank him for introducing the amendment calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Armenian hostages held by Azerbaijan, which the House Foreign Affairs Committee adopted by a bipartisan vote of 44–7.

The Assembly Terjenian-Thomas interns with Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) thanking him for his leadership in calling for the release of Armenian hostages held in Azerbaijan

Interns also met with congressional staff from the offices of Reps. Sean Casten (D-IL), Jay Obernolte (R-CA), Adam Smith (D-WA), Joseph Morelle (D-NY), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Luz Rivas (D-CA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Thomas Kean Jr. (R-NJ), and Mike Thompson (D-CA), thanking supportive offices and advocating for cosponsorship where needed. A highlight was a meeting and Capitol tour with the Congressional Armenian Staffers Association (CASA), led by staffers Haig Hovsepian and Adam Sherinian, an alumnus of the Armenia internship class of 2024, who spoke on building an Armenian professional network on the Hill.

Assembly Terjenian-Thomas interns with Intern Alumnus and CASA President Adam Sherinian, along with Haig Hovsepian

Interns received in-depth briefings from Assembly leadership, including Co-Chair Oscar Tatosian; Executive Director Bryan Ardouny on outlining the Assembly's mission; Congressional Relations Director Mariam Khaloyan on fundamentals of advocacy; Research and Analysis Director Robert Avetisyan on the history of Artsakh and his experience as Permanent Representative to Nagorno-Karabakh; Armenia Country Director Armen V. Sahakyan on the Assembly's work in Armenia; ANI Director Dr. Rouben Adalian; and Nexus Program Director Sarkis Karabashian.

Assembly Terjenian-Thomas interns with Assembly Co-Chair Oscar Tatosian (top), Executive Director Bryan Ardouny and ANI Director Dr. Rouben Adalian (bottom)

The cohort engaged deeply with Armenian heritage through lectures, museum visits, and community events. Archbishop Levon Zekiyan delivered a lecture at St. Mary Armenian Church on preserving Western Armenian language and culture, and Dr. Khatchig Mouradian led two sessions at the Library of Congress showcasing rare Armenian manuscripts, literature, and artifacts documenting the diaspora. Interns visited St. Mary Armenian Church and the Armenian Church Youth Organization of America, took an Armenian dance class with Hayi Hoki, and toured the newly opened Lincoln Memorial Undercroft Museum. The class also enjoyed a team-bonding outing to the Congressional Baseball Game and an architecture walking tour featuring a presentation by Dr. Caroline Mesrobian Hickman, granddaughter of architect Mihran Mesrobian, followed by a tour of Mesrobian’s buildings led by Joe Himali of @bestaddress.

(l-r) Assembly Terjenian-Thomas interns attending a lecture by Archbishop Levon Zekiyan at St. Mary Armenian Church; Dr. Khatchig Mouradian during his lecture "Armenian Americans at 250 Years" at the Library of Congress; attending the annual Congressional Baseball game; learning traditional Armenian dance with Hayi Hoki

Career and Professional Development

Interns also gained career insight from Armenian American professionals across many business sectors through our Lecture Series, including Professor Aram Gavoor, Esq., Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the George Washington University Law School, a Board Member of the Armenian Assembly of America, and an alumnus of the Class of 2003; McDonald's Vice President of Government Relations Sam Tatevosyan; World Bank Principal Portfolio Manager and an alumnus of the Class of 2003 Grigor Sargsyan; attorneys John Farah and Olivia Jerjian; Apple Senior Online Safety Counsel and an alumna of the Class of 2008 Lauren Sarkesian; former Public Service Fellow at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) Alena Mikhaelyan; Future of Free Speech Senior Legal Fellow Ashken Kazaryan; Middle East Forum Director of Policy Analysis Michael Rubin, Dr. Margarita Tadevosyan of George Mason University's Center for Peacemaking Practice and an alumna of the Class of 2006; and networking with locals from the internship classes from 2022-2025.

Assembly Terjenian-Thomas interns with Lecture Series Speakers, including Terjenian-Thomas intern Alumni (l-r) Aram Gavoor (2003), Grigor Sargsyan (2003), Margarita Tadevosyan (2006), and Lauren Sarkesian (2008)

For intern Kyle Pidedjian, from White Plains, New York, the Terjenian-Thomas Internship Program had him "walking away with a much better understanding of how Washington works and how to make your voice heard."

"We were introduced to many leaders in the Armenian-American community who demonstrated how their Armenian identities have inspired them to succeed in their professional lives, so that we may do the same" said Tamar Chavdarian, a rising senior at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Assembly Terjenian-Thomas Interns at the Lincoln Memorial after exploring the new Lincoln Memorial Undercroft

This year's Terjenian-Thomas 2026 intern class included: Emma Armeghanian attending University of California, Los Angeles, Mclain Arslanian attending the University of Southern California; Arin Arutyunyan attending California State Polytechnic University, Los Angeles; Lea Atabekyan attending Lake Forest College; Ellen Bagramyan attending Glendale Community College; Erik Barsegian attending University of California, San Diego; Joseph Barton attending New York University; Tamar Chavdarian attending University of California, Los Angeles; Romen Der Manuelian attending Washington University in St. Louis; Mariam Grigoryan attending New York University; Clodine Karabulut attending University of California, Irvine; Maria Khachatryan attending the American University of Armenia; Elaine Khachaturyan attending University of California, Los Angeles; Areen Krikorian attending Loyola University Chicago; Mary Manukyan attending The George Washington University; Shushanik Meliksetyan attending the American University of Armenia; Karen Mikayelyan attending Pasadena City College; Mariam Nersesyan attending American University; Kyle Pidedjian attending Tufts University; Patil Chloe Vartanian attending University of Southern California; and Eric Tsaturyan as the Intern Coordinator attending University of California, Irvine.

The Assembly's 2026 Class of Armenia Interns on the Areni Cave

Eleven students from eight U.S. universities completed the Armenian Assembly of America’s 2026 Summer Internship Program in Armenia, an eight-week program held from June 15 to August 7, 2026. The interns gained professional experience across Armenia’s public, nonprofit, financial, technology, and cultural sectors while immersing themselves in daily life and exploring the country’s rich history and heritage. Interns held placements with 12 host organizations and, alongside their work, took part in more than 30 meetings, visits, and tours organized by the Assembly. 

The program began with a June 14 orientation that coincided with a visit by four alumni of the Assembly’s Terjenian-Thomas Internship Class of 1986 – Jon Hanessian, Ruth Zeronian Edwards, Lisa A. Kazanjian, and Tanya Koshgarian Chakmakian. The alumni traveled to Armenia with their families to mark their class’s 40th anniversary and shared career advice with the 2026 interns at the Assembly’s Yerevan Office. Kazanjian urged the students to walk away from every project with a real result.

Assembly Armenia Interns with Alumni from the Class of 1986

This year’s interns came away with results of their own. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (now the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade), Natalie Sabounjian (University of California, Los Angeles) supported the Ministry’s digital diplomacy initiatives, Maria Galstyan (Georgetown University) assisted with research and analysis, and Nare Babakhanian (University of Southern California) gained firsthand insight into Armenia’s consular system.

At the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, Sona Taktakyan (Boston College) supported preparations for the upcoming Global Armenian Summit, and at the Center for Truth and Justice she helped document the experiences of Armenians displaced from Artsakh. “Being able to research, write, and record what I learned showed me how important it is to preserve our history and ensure that these experiences are not forgotten,” Taktakyan said.

At Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly–Vanadzor, Nare Babakhanian’s work focused on human rights, legal research, and issues affecting Armenians displaced from Artsakh, while Diana Khachatryan (California State University, Northridge), who also interned with Social Justice NGO, learned how the legal systems of Armenia, the United States, and the European Union operate and compare.

Assembly Armenia interns visit the Government House

At the Armenia Stock Exchange (AMX), Khachatur Hayrapetyan (University of Washington Bothell) and Nikole Yeganova (University of California, Berkeley) conducted a comparative analysis of exchange-traded fund (ETF) regulatory and listing frameworks. At the History Museum of Armenia, Mariam McClure-Simonyan (The George Washington University) developed a proposal and roadmap for digitizing the museum’s catalog and collections, and at Ayo!, the Fund for Armenian Relief’s crowdfunding platform, Natalie Veniaminova (University of California, Berkeley) served as the social media marketing intern and visited project sites across the country. 

Tigran Aghbalyan (University of California, Berkeley) split his summer between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and COPA AI, and Arpi Danielyan (University of California, Berkeley) interned with the Tufenkian Foundation and the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.

While in Yerevan, the interns met with Armenian officials, U.S. diplomats, civil society leaders, and media representatives. The group toured the National Assembly of Armenia, joined by American fellows interning with the National Democratic Institute (NDI), and at the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan, Chargé d’Affaires David Allen met with the interns to hear about their studies, career plans, and how the program could help strengthen U.S.-Armenia ties. 

Assembly Armenia Interns at The Office of the High Commissioner of Diaspora Affairs

The interns also visited the Government House, the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, Birthright Armenia, the Heritage House, the International Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise Armenia, the United Nations office, and the American University of Armenia’s Acopian Center for the Environment, and toured CivilNet with Editor-in-Chief Karen Harutyunyan before taking questions with the outlet's English-language team.

Assembly Armenia Interns at Khor Virap

Interns explored Armenia on weekend trips, including overnight stays in Gyumri and in Goris, where the group visited Tatev Monastery, rode the Wings of Tatev aerial tramway, and stopped at a music school in Khndzoresk. They also visited Etchmiadzin, Zvartnots Cathedral, Garni Temple, Geghard Monastery, Lake Sevan, the village of Gosh (where the group was graciously hosted in the home of Assembly Members Hagop and Intern Alumna Tamar Tujian), and Kirants, a village on Armenia’s northeastern border. In Yerevan, they toured the Cascade complex, the Aguletsi House Museum, the History Museum of Armenia, the Armenian Genocide Memorial and Museum-Institute, the Matenadaran, and the Marashlian photo studio. They also took part in a quest through the historic Kond neighborhood, and joined the July 4 TriColor Run marking the 250th anniversary of American independence. For Mariam McClure-Simonyan, whose research includes khachkars (Armenian cross-stones), the highlight of the Gyumri trip was a khachkar-carving masterclass. 

Assembly Armenia interns visiting Intern Alumna Tamar Tujian and husband Hagop in Gosh

In a pre- and post-program survey, interns most often named research and analysis skills among what they gained, and cited the cultural program, their fellow interns, and living in Armenia as residents rather than visitors as the summer's most impactful elements. “I loved getting to experience everyday life in Armenia while also having the opportunity to see what it is like to work in a professional setting,” said Diana Khachatryan.

Assembly Armenia Interns visit the United Nations Office

For many interns, the summer changed how they see Armenia. “Growing up in the diaspora, Armenia often felt like an important part of my identity but also somewhat distant. Living and working here changed that perspective completely,” said Natalie Sabounjian. “I no longer see Armenia as a relic of an ancient past, but as a vibrant, developing country with immense potential and a very promising future.” The summer also resonated with interns who grew up in Armenia. “Having the opportunity to serve my country, expand my professional network, travel throughout Armenia, and form some of the most meaningful friendships made this one of the most special summers of my life,” said Maria Galstyan, who was born and raised in Yerevan.

For some, the summer also shaped plans for the future. “The internship reaffirmed my dream to one day repatriate, and allowed me to begin paving a path towards that future,” said Mariam McClure-Simonyan. Sona Taktakyan, who was born in Armenia, said the internship “made me realize that I truly want—and need—to repatriate to Armenia.” 

This year's Assembly Yerevan 2026 intern class included: Tigran Aghbalyan, Nare Babakhanian, Arpi Danielyan, Maria Galstyan, Khachatur Hayrapetyan, Diana Khachatryan, Mariam McClure-Simonyan, Natalie Sabounjian, Sona Taktakyan, Natalie Veniaminova, and Nikole Yeganova.

Assembly Armenia interns exploring Gyumri

For more information about the Assembly's 2027 Internship Programs, as well as the Assembly's financial aid directory, please click here. The Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship Program application is available here, and the Summer Internship Program in Armenia application can be found here. 

The Armenian Assembly of America Summer Internship Program has been celebrated and strongly supported by the Armenian community with major gifts from the Richard Tufenkian Memorial Fund, the John Hanessian Scholarship Fund, the Armen Astarjian Scholarship Fund, the Ohanian Memorial Fund, Ann Hintlian, Ann Nahigian, James and Connie Melikian, the Knights of Vartan, the Estate of Haig J. Boyadjian, and the Estate of George Judge Karabedian (George Kay), as well as generous contributions in memory of former Assembly Board Members Dr. Lionel Galstaun, Peter Kezirian, and John O'Connor. In 2003, the Armenian Assembly's Summer Internship Program was renamed in honor of Aram and Florence Terjenian and Annie Thomas for their support of the program. 

We are deeply grateful for the support of all of our donors and members who make our work possible. Gifts that help educate and empower the next generation of Armenian American leaders are deeply appreciated. 

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a strictly non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

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