Longtime community leader Apo Saghdejian and his daughter Nayiri presented a generous donation last week to the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) in honor of their late son and brother Hovig Apo Saghdejian, whose legacy has inspired the expansion of a unique career development program that has, to date, helped over 300 young professionals start careers in policy, politics, and media in the nation’s capital.
“My brother’s legacy lives on through the work of the ANCA and the investments we are making in a new generation of Armenian American professionals,” remarked Nayiri Saghdejian. “Hovig loved the Armenian Nation and he loved the Armenian Cause – which is why we are committed to working with the ANCA to realize his vision of a free, safe, and prosperous Armenian homeland,” she added.
Cornerstones of the ANCA Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program (CGP) include a three-month free-housing grant, access to the ANCA network of contacts and resources, and hands-on training on how to find work in the governmental, political, policy, and media worlds. Alumni give back through the CGP Advisory Committee, which works with Program Director Tereza Yerimyan to leverage the ANCA’s influential political network to assist program fellows. Mentorship, enrichment seminars, and networking events featuring alumni and Washington DC’s seasoned public policy professionals are staples of the program.
“The ANCA is grateful for the vision and generosity of the Saghdejian family,” remarked ANCA Chairman Raffi Hamparian after visiting with the family at their home in Fresno, California. “The Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program is a signature achievement of the ANCA. We are proud that this distinguished program is only getting stronger year after year – serving more young Armenian American professionals and, in the process, strengthening our community and common cause – which Hovig believed in so deeply,” Hamparian added.
The Hovig Apo Saghdejian Memorial Fund was created in 2004 and raised over $50,000 for the Capital Gateway Program in just a few short months. Since then, family and friends have honored the memory of Hovig’s late mother, Rosine Saghdejian, who passed away in 2006, and Apo’s mother, Sona Saghdejian, who died in 2010, through additional contributions to the fund. These funds will be held in perpetuity, with only the income being used to finance the participation of young Armenian Americans in the ANCA’s Capital Gateway Program.