AGBU New York Summer Internship Program (NYSIP) Welcomes Interns from Around the World

Interns gain professional experience and connect with their Armenian heritage

On June 15, AGBU welcomed 24 interns from around the world for the start of the 28th AGBU New York Summer Internship Program (NYSIP). As the first of the organization’s cadre of internship programs, NYSIP empowers young Armenians to achieve success by providing meaningful, purpose-driven professional opportunities and social activities.

This year, interns arrived from Armenia, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, the United Kingdom and across the United States to spend the summer building their brand, contributing to their professional development and enhancing their involvement in the Armenian community. During the eight-week program, participants work in various fields at prestigious companies and organizations, including Columbia Medical Center, the Permanent Mission of Armenia to the United Nations, AXA Advisors, Mirrorball, SnackBare.com and TheMedNet.org.

Artoun Festekjian, a rising senior at Tufts University studying cognitive brain science and drama, is spending the summer as a production intern at Locomotive Film, gaining insight into the inner-workings of a production studio: “On certain days, I get to read scripts and short stories, but by far, my favorite part of the internship has been going on set for a film that the company is currently working on. I got to meet the directors and actors and see the whole crew working, which was unbelievably exciting.” 

The program also provides the interns with an array of social, cultural and educational events to help them make the most of their time in New York. Over the past three weeks, interns have visited New York neighborhoods and attractions and participated in discussions with Armenian professionals, including vascular surgeon Dr. Vicken Pamoukian and Serge Kassardjian, head of media apps business development at Google Inc.

“I loved that each speaker spoke so dearly about how they took part in an internship when they were my age. It shows how internships can open up so many great opportunities and help them get to where they are in their careers today. As a young person who is also very ambitious, this inspires and encourages me to get the most out of this internship and to use it as a building block for the next big step in my own career,” said Nicole Schembri, a recent graduate of Loughborough University in the United Kingdom.

Additionally, NYSIP focuses on civic engagement, building relationships and fostering ties within the Armenian community. Since 1999, NYSIP has partnered with the Young Professionals of Greater New York (YPGNY) group. The most significant component of this partnership is the mentoring program that pairs each intern with a young professional working in his or her field of interest. Mentors provide guidance and act as role models, meeting several times throughout the summer, in groups and individually, to discuss various topics relating to their fields of expertise.

At the midpoint of the program, interns have already learned about their new professional selves. Karlsen Termini, a rising junior at Santa Clara University, reflects on his own process of self-development: “This summer has given me a lot of time to see who I am professionally, personally and culturally. As I am surrounded by this wonderful community of like-minded Armenians, I am starting to see the values of integrity and ingenuity that has allowed our people to persevere and succeed in the new world that we are creating for ourselves.”

The New York Summer Internship Program was established in 1987 and boasts a growing network of nearly 900 alumni. For over 25 years, NYSIP has hosted interns from 21 countries in virtually every professional field and given high-achieving university students valuable work experience to help them lay a solid foundation for their professional success. NYSIP is part of a network of AGBU internship programs, which includes locations in London and Yerevan.

For more information on the AGBU New York Summer Internship Program (NYSIP), please visit http://agbu-internship.org/nysip/.