MELBOURNE: The Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) has announced that Lucy Kirakosian, the recipient of the 2024 Hagop Kortian Scholarship, has commenced a three-month internship at the Office of the Victorian parliamentarian, Kat Theophanous MP.
Kirakossian, who is currently wrapping up her final year of studies in a Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Arts (International Relations) at Monash University, has commenced her internship with Labor’s Member for Northcote, as the first scholarship recipient to be placed in the office of a Victorian parliamentarian in the history of the program symbolising the growing momentum of the ANC-AU around the country.
Kirakosian already has a long list of contributions to Hai Tad (the Armenian Cause), participating in the 2023 ANC-AU Youth Advocates program, volunteering as a member of the ANC-AU Melbourne Branch, leading fundraising initiatives for the people of Artsakh, and assisting in organising the 2024 Melbourne Armenian Genocide Commemoration held earlier this year, which attracted a record number of attendees.
Theophanous is a close friend of the Armenian-Australian community and a distinguished member of the Victorian Parliament. As a proud Cypriot-Australian, Theophanous is renowned for her commitment to social justice, gender equality and multiculturalism, providing Kirakosian with an excellent platform to participate in policy development and learn about the inner workings of Australia’s political landscape.
“We are humbled by Lucy’s achievements and contributions to Hai Tad and are thrilled to see her kickstart her political journey at Kat Theopanous’ office. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to both the Kortian family and Ms Theophanous for facilitating and supporting this program, and their commitment to empowering the future leaders of our community to excel in their careers,” said Armenian National Committee of Australia Executive Director, Michael Kolokossian.
Kirakosian said: “Being Armenian is a core part of my identity and is the driving force of everything that I do. I hope I can use the skills and knowledge I gain from this internship to further Hai Tad and support my community as best as I can. I’d like to sincerely thank the Kortian family for funding this program and Kat Theophanous for giving me this amazing opportunity to grow my skills and knowledge in the political field.”
The Kortian family congratulated Lucy Kirakossian and wished her all the best for the remainder of her internship.
“The Kortian family is honoured to support passionate young Armenian-Australians like Lucy, whose dedication to advocating for the Armenian-Australian community has been unwavering. We extend our congratulations to Lucy and wish her every success during her upcoming internship with Ms. Theophanous,” said Dr. Tro Kortian.
MORE ON THE HAGOP KORTIAN SCHOLARSHIPCandidates for the ANC-AU Internship Program’s Hagop Kortian Scholarship should email their applications to ed@anc.org.au including:a personal statement, no longer than 1000 words, that answers the following question: What do you hope to learn during your proposed internship with a Federal politician, and how will you use your acquired skills and ideas to further Hai Tad (the Armenian Cause) in your own community or campus?
The ANC-AU Internship Program's Hagop Kortian Scholarship was established in 2018 as part of broader #ANCAUoutreach initiatives and is a long-term commitment from the family in memory of one of the founding forces of Hai Tad in Australia and founding member of ANC-AU.
The annual Scholarship, which was extended for an additional five years in 2023, totalling $10,000 is funded by the proceeds of the Hagop and Makrouhy Kortian Endowment Fund established in their honour by their sons and their families. Part of the Hagop Kortian Scholarship funded the ANC-AU Youth Advocates Program between 2018 and 2024 in Canberra.
The ANC-AU Internship Program helps facilitate the placement of Armenian-Australian students into the offices of Members of Parliament, Senators, government departments, think tanks and media centres in Canberra and within state capitals across the country.
The ANC-AU Internship Program's Hagop Kortian Scholarship covers the successful applicant's costs during their placement, including transport, travel, accommodation and associated expenses.
