LOS ANGELES, CA– The ANCA-WR announced an initiative to encourage young Armenian Americans interested in political, legal, and other professional careers to apply for the Capital Fellows Programs in Sacramento. The nationally recognized program presents college graduates the opportunity to be placed in a legislative, executive, or judicial office for one year.

The Capital Fellows Programs consist of the Jesse M. Unruh Assembly Fellowship, Executive Fellowship, Judicial Administration Fellowship, and California Senate Fellows programs. The 18 Assembly Fellows, 18 Senate Fellows, 18 Executive Fellows, and 10 Judicial Administration Fellows receive an outstanding opportunity to engage in public service and prepare for future careers, while actively contributing to the development and implementation of public policy in California.

The ranks of former fellows and associates include a Justice of the California Supreme Court, members of the United States Congress and the State Legislature, a deputy director of the Peace Corps, corporate executives, and local government and community leaders.

“The ANCA-WR is reaching out and encouraging young Armenian Americans to apply for these programs because we feel they play an important part in training our next generation of leaders,” explained ANCA-WR Chairman Raffi Hamparian. “Armenian Americans who are considering careers in law, business, or politics should consider the Capital Fellows Programs as a critical training ground,” added Hamparian.

Fellows in each program work for 11 months (from October 2004 to September 2005), receive health benefits, a monthly stipend, and are considered employees of Cal State Sacramento. They work as full-time members of a legislative, executive, or judicial branch office, and are typically given assignments with a significant amount of responsibility and challenges. Fellows also enroll as graduate students at CSUS, and receive 12 graduate credits from the CSUS Government Department or Public Policy and Administration Program. The enrollment fees are paid by the programs.

“For anyone interested in a career in public service, the Capital Fellows Program provides the most effective and educational path into the political process. As a fellow, I was given real responsibility, and had the opportunity to work directly with elected officials and veteran staffers on important issues facing all Californians,” said Sasha Boghosian, an Assembly Fellow in 2001-02.

The selection process for the fellows programs starts in late Fall when the application period begins. Anyone with a degree from a four year college or university is eligible to apply. Fellows are selected in spring, and start their programs in the early fall with an intensive four-week orientation conducted by the program faculty advisors. They then interview with various offices before being placed, while attending weekly graduate seminars conducted by their program’s academic advisors.

“The Senate Fellowship experience has been also very valuable even though I ultimately chose a legal career instead of a career in the politics,” noted Armen Martin, a Senate Fellow in 1994-95. “The training, contacts, and experiences provided by the fellowship have been invaluable to me,” he added.

College graduates, including those graduating college by the summer of 2004, who are interested in applying for the program can visit the program’s website at www.csus.edu/calst/Programs/about_programs.html, call the Center for California Studies at (916) 278-6906, or call the ANCA-WR office at (818) 500-1918 for applications. The deadline for applications is February 25, 2004.