Los Angeles, CA – As a participant in the Armenian National Committee – Western Region’s 2008 Summer Internship-Externship Program (ANC-WR IEP), Mikael Kourinian has gained a vast amount of knowledge about various Armenian American issues. Specializing in community and government affairs, Kourinian will assist with the California High School compliance with curriculum requirements educating students about the Armenian Genocide.

“Through my experiences as the community and government affairs intern for ANC-WR, I hope to become more involved in issues related to Armenian Americans,” stated Kourinian. “This Internship Program has provided me great opportunities to become a more active member in my community,” he added.

In the past weeks, Kourinian and fellow Community and Government Affairs Intern, Hovanes Gasparian, have been authoring position papers on US-Armenia relations and self-determination of Nagorno-Karabagh. He also prepared an outreach packet for social justice organizations to get them to support the Armenian Genocide and is working on foreign appropriations to Armenia and a decrease of aid to Azerbaijan.

Kourinian holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a master’s degree in Public Administration from California State University, Northridge. He currently works at Prudential California Realty as a senior marketing associate. Kourinian was recently admitted into ANCA’s Capital Gateway Program and will be leaving for Washington DC towards the end of August.

Kourinian’s experience as President of the Armenian Students’ Association at Glendale Community College equipped him with valuable experience to complete his various projects as an Intern at ANC-WR. Kourinian hopes to implement the knowledge and experience he gains, during his internship, for future ventures in and out of the Armenian community.

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 – Mikael Kourinian at the ANC-WR offices.