No. 107

WASHINGTON - The 2023 fall session of the American Hellenic Institute Internship Program has officially concluded. For four decades, over 200 students and recent graduates have completed the American Hellenic Institute Internship Program at AHI’s Hellenic House building, located just five blocks from the White House in Washington D.C. Our internship program enriches policy knowledge, supports career aspirations, and helps create strong relationships with professionals and academics, allowing for a first-hand experience of how foreign policy is created and executed in our nation’s capital.

Interns work directly with staff members on various activities, including performing research and analysis, drafting letters, facilitating events, and assisting with other project-oriented tasks. They also attend lectures held at think tanks, monitor legislation and congressional hearings on Capitol Hill, draft press releases, and perform administrative duties.

Anna Maria Papadopoulos and Clara Flanders took full advantage of their time as AHI interns. Previously, Anna Maria participated in the 15th annual AHIF Foreign Policy Trip to Greece and Cyprus.

“I would like to thank Anna Maria and Clara for their invaluable work and contributions to AHI on multiple fronts,” President Nick Larigakis said. “Educating students in the field of public policy and government is vital. They have a bright future, and we look forward to seeing their many accomplishments.”

Anna Maria Papadopoulos is a senior and a Dean’s List recipient at American University, where she is majoring in Legal Studies as part of a rigorous Politics, Policy, and Law Program and the Leadership Program within the School of Public Affairs. Anna Maria moved from Thessaloniki, Greece, two years ago with one goal; to become an advocate for her Greek American community by achieving a well-rounded academic background and gaining experience in the political arena. Her dedication to foreign affairs advanced through her internship on Capitol Hill. While interning on the Hill, she became familiar with foreign affairs policy by attending hearings, drafting memos, and assisting with legislative research on matters of diplomacy and national defense. On campus, Anna Maria is president of the American University Hellenic Student Association and a proud member of the AU Diplomats club, where she mentors newly admitted Greek and Cypriot students and provides a resource to facilitate their transition in the community. Moreover, this summer Anna Maria participated in the fifteenth annual AHIF Foreign Policy College Student Trip to Greece and Cyprus sponsored by the American Hellenic Institute Foundation.

Clara Flanders is a Senior and Dean’s List student at American University where she is majoring in an Interdisciplinary Studies degree of Communications, Legal Institutions, Economics, and Government. She is the recipient of the highly selective Presidential Scholarship and part of the rigorous three year Politics, Policy and Law Scholars Program at American University’s School of Public Affairs. Clara’s interest in foreign affairs was bolstered by her study abroad experience in Brussels, Belgium where she learned about the responsibilities of the EU and talked directly with representatives from Greece and Cyprus like European Parliament elected Member Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou, concerning pressing geopolitical affairs. Clara also visited Greece and there was able to gain a deeper appreciation for the country and its culture and attain a more complex understanding of and interest in Greek foreign relations, specifically its diplomatic connections with the U.S.

The American Hellenic Institute offers internship positions throughout the year. The internship is an excellent opportunity for those interested in gaining experience in government affairs and foreign policy issues, specifically U.S. relations with Greece and Cyprus. It is designed for undergraduate students, graduate students, and recent graduates, and helps them explore new career avenues and jump-start professions in government, journalism, lobbying, or the nonprofit sector.

For more information about the American Hellenic Institute Internship Program, please visit our website:

https://www.ahiworld.org/internships

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

For additional information, please contact us at (561) 529-0306 or [email protected]. For general information about the activities of AHI, please see our website at http://www.ahiworld.org.