Los Angeles, CA – An extern for the Armenian National Committee – Western Region’s Autumn 2008 Internship-Externship Program (ANC-WR IEP) with Asbarez Daily Newspaper, Thora Giallouri is excited to be working on several feature articles covering the Armenian community and current issues. She is also assisting the Asbarez staff to enhance the paper within the community.

“I joined the program because I believe it will offer me substantial experience as to how I turn theory into everyday practice, thus achieving a professional level of knowledge of how groups within the community interact,” said Giallouri. “Being part of the ANC means two things; first, that I get to work in my field of political science and second, that I get to give something back to the community in which I live.”

Giallouri is an international graduate student attending California State University, Los Angeles, where she is pursuing her Masters degree in Political Science with a concentration in Political Theory and Philosophy. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Greece, where she majored in International and European Relations. After graduating, she plans on pursuing a PhD program or working in her field.

Prior to coming to the United States, Giallouri interned at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the Deputy Minister’s Press Office. She was responsible for the monitoring of Greek and foreign media, analysis and transformation of news, and researching background memos.

Speaking about her time with the ministry, Giallouri noted, “It was very demanding, it meant keeping up with strict deadlines everyday and achieving a level of organization that would prove helpful in times of pressure. Nevertheless, it was a position that offered a challenge as well as insight into the worlds of politics and media.” So far this season, Giallouri has already published an article exploring the foreign policy advisory teams of both presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama. She has also written an article about the Armenian community in Greece in the hopes of better connecting the Armenian Diaspora of the United States with the one back home. She is currently working on a public survey with the Asbarez staff and will continue writing articles for the remainder of the IEP session. Prior to her externship, Giallouri volunteered at ANC-WR for five months in early 2008. The application for the 2009 Spring Session is now available and the deadline to submit is December 1st. For more information about the IEP and a downloadable version of the application please visit http://www.anca.org/gateway/gateway_overview.php.

The Armenian National Committee – Western Region is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANC-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

Photo Caption – Thora Giallouri at ANC-WR offices.