AHI’s Internship Program Continues to Prosper

WASHINGTON, DC — The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) internship program is designed for college students who are interested in learning more about US-Greece-Cyprus relations and how foreign policy is formulated in Washington, DC. Students who are chosen for the program spent weeks to months working on various assignments comprising of research projects, attending events in area think tanks and in congress, and assisting with an assortment of educational events sponsored by AHI.

“In 2011, we had several interns from universities across the United States, all with a drive to learn and be involved in the discussions that formulate policy decisions in the U.S., Greece and Cyprus,” said AHI President Nick Larigakis. “They worked at the Hellenic House in Washington, DC while also attending several policy and community events in the area.”

About AHI’s Interns

The students that came from the United States included: Vicki Mihailidis is pursuing a BS in Environmental Science and Policy—concentration in politics and policy—at the University of Maryland, in College Park, Maryland. She plans on attending law school for International Environmental Law. Kara Dimitriou received her BA in English from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. She is currently a graduate student at American University pursuing her MA in Literature. Emily Nancy Long holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from Temple University. She is a Certified Mediator with 60 hours of training, and plans to attend graduate school next Fall to pursue a Doctorate in International Conflict Resolution. Christiana Metaxas is a senior at John Jay High School in Cross River, NY.

Several AHI interns were also selected to participate in the AHIF College Student Foreign Policy Trip to Greece and Cyprus. These interns were: Constance Baroudos received her MA in Political Science at the California State University, Fullerton. Joanna Kocani completed her BA from the University of "New York" Tirana, Albania, and now is pursuing a Certificate in Paralegal Studies at Georgetown University. Maria Stavrou graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and double majored in Government and History. She currently works for the 2012 Ron Paul Presidential Campaign. Anastasia (Tasa) Tserkonis, is a junior at Clark University, in Worcester, Massachusetts pursuing her BS in Political Science with a specialty in International Relations and a concentration in Law and Society. Lydia Pappas is pursuing a BA in International Area Studies at Drexel University, in Philadelphia, PA. She participated in the AHIF Foreign Policy Trip in 2009.

“We also had several students studying in the U.S. from Greece, Cyprus and France who came to AHI to learn how US foreign policy is formulated,” said Larigakis.

These students included: Loizos Kapsalis of Nicosia, Cyprus earned his BA in Geography and a MPhil in Multi-Disciplinary Gender Studies at Cambridge University, in England. Vassilis Paliouras from Athens, Greece, received his LL.B. at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 2009 and his LL.M. at American University Washington College of Law with Honors in 2011. He is now studying for the Bar exam in Athens and applying to law firms. Chryssanthi Guillon, from Paris, France is currently pursuing a BA in law and political science at the University of Panthéon-Assas in Paris. She has conducted research on legal and economic issues. Danae Kyriakopoulou from Athens is currently studying in the UK. She is in her final year of undergraduate studies in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Oxford.

At AHI, the interns worked together and individually on several projects including: monitoring daily news events on United States relations with Greece, Cyprus and Turkey; attending lectures held at think tanks and congressional hearings; conducting research on US relations with Greece, Cyprus and Turkey; and assisting with AHI events, including our annual awards dinner, AHI conferences and Noon Forums, AHI’s congressional briefing and forum commemorating the 37th the anniversary of Turkey’s illegal invasion of Cyprus on Capitol Hill.

AHI offers several internship positions during the year. The duration of the internship varies depending on each student's schedule. During the school year they are expected to work 12-15 hours/week and in the summer 35 hours per week. Internships are unpaid and are available for school credit if approved by the college/university. We do not provide housing and all foreign students must have a current student visa and/or work permit. Qualified applicants must have completed coursework or have experience in U.S. relations with Greece and Cyprus, excellent oral and written communication skills.

For additional information you may refer to the AHI website at https://www.ahiworld.org/for-students/internships.html To apply, qualified applicants should mail a cover letter with: the completed AHI questionnaire (found on our website); a current resume; current transcripts; a 3-5 page writing sample; and two letters of recommendations. Applications should be emailed to Yola Pakhchanian at yolap@ahiworld.org.

The American Hellenic Institute is an independent non-profit Greek American public policy center that works to strengthen relations between the United States and Greece and Cyprus, and within the Greek American community.

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For additional information, please contact Demetra Atsaloglou at (202) 785-8430 or at pr@ahiworld.org. For general information about the activities of AHI, please see our website at https://www.ahiworld.org