CHIP Fellows Prepare for Summer in Washington, DC
May 24, 2012, Washington, DC – The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) is pleased to announce that our Capitol Hill Internship Program (CHIP) inaugural group of Fellows will soon walk the halls of government in our nation’s capital this summer. Ms. Deanna Javadi and Ms. Monna Sabouri are distinguished young Iranian Americans who will have the unique opportunity to get a firsthand look at our nation’s legislative and political process.
The PAAIA CHIP Program recognizes that congressional internships are often the inspiration and launching point for the careers of some of the most distinguished public servants in the nation. Members of Congress and their constituents depend on interns for their work and contributions. Serving as a congressional interns will give Deanna and Monna an important vantage point on American public life, valuable professional networking and communications skills, and an important credential for students who later wish to return to work in Congress or elsewhere in Federal or state government.
Deanna Javadi is a senior at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania where she is studying International Relations. Deanna will join Congresswoman Donna Edward’s congressional office as an intern this summer. Deanna shared that she is “looking forward to my internship on Capitol Hill this summer. I think working under Rep. Donna Edwards will be a great experience.” Monna Sabouri is student at CUNY Queens College, where she is working towards a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with honors in Business and Liberal Arts. Monna will be spending her summer as an intern with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). In thinking about her experience, Monna shared that she is “excited to work on Capitol Hill and learn first hand how the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee operates.”
The goal of the CHIP program is to increase the influence and voice of Iranian Americans in public service by helping place summer interns in Congressional offices and eventually other public service positions. The program is enhanced by access to PAAIA DC events, opportunities to network with and be mentored by Iranian American staff on Capitol Hill and the Administration, as well as mentorship opportunities with non-governmental organizations throughout Washington, DC. In addition to providing interns with highly desired experience in the public sector, this opportunity allows interns to identify and secure career opportunities in public service that may be otherwise difficult to find. The CHIP program is made possible by a generous contribution from PAAIA Member, Dr. Akbar Ghahary.
2012 PAAIA CHIP Fellows
Deanna Javadi: Summer Internship with Congresswoman Donna Edwards (D-MD)
Deanna Javadi is a senior at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania where she is studying International Relations. Deanna is actively involved in extracurricular activities and campus student groups, including Delta Gamma Fraternity, World Affairs Club, Greek Allies, and Peer Values Education. She has also held a number of internships including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA), and the Roberto Wirth Fund. This past spring 2012 semester, she studied abroad in Rome, Italy.
Monna Sabouri: Summer Internship with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC)
Monna Sabouri is a student at CUNY Queens College, where she is working towards a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with honors in Business and Liberal Arts. During her time in Queens College, Monna has worked as a Legal Intern for the Honorable Justice Rosengarten in Queens County Supreme Court. She is affiliated with her father’s non-profit organization, the Roodaki Foundaiton, which helps the promotion of Iranian Culture throughout the world. Monna is also a musician, getting her minors in music theory from the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College. She went to the Pre-College Division of the Manhattan School of Music for Classical Voice and Piano. She is a member of the Screen Actors Guild and has been featured in various film and television projects.
