NIAC Announces Summer 2010 Public Service Fellow Roshan AlemiWednesday, June 2, 2010

By: Setareh Tabatabaie – News

NIAC is proud to announce its Summer 2010 Public Service Fellow, Roshan Alemi. A rising junior at Wellesley College, she will be interning at the offices of Senator Mark Warner of Virginia and Rep. Jim Moran (VA-08). Her internships will expose her to Capitol Hill culture and the legislative process.

Washington, DC – NIAC is proud to announce its Summer 2010 Public Service Fellow, Roshan Alemi. A rising junior at Wellesley College, Roshan will be interning at the offices of Senator Mark Warner of Virginia and Rep. Jim Moran (VA-08). Her internships will expose her to Capitol Hill culture and the legislative process.

Roshan was chosen as a Public Service Fellow because of her impressive record of public service as well as her dedication to the progress of the Iranian-American community. Pursuing a dual degree in Political Science and Psychology, her interests include education, foreign policy and media. She hopes to learn more about these through her internships this summer.

Roshan’s unyielding dedication to the Iranian-American community is highlighted by her position as treasurer of Wellesley’s Persian Student Association, as well as her work with Iranian Alliances Across Borders’ Camp Ayandeh. Roshan works to build a strong leadership curriculum for the campers – all Iranian-American high school students – that encourages them to explore their dual heritage and develop confidence in their own identity.

Roshan told NIAC about her shock at the number of Iranian Americans she met during this experience who were not proud of their Iranian heritage and “not willing to publicize it, even to inspire the Iranian- American youth.” She went on to say, “It’s my duty to give back. And when I do give back, I will use my dual heritage to help me, not hold me back.”

The NIAC Public Service Fellowship (NPSF) is designed to jumpstart the careers of young Iranian Americans, like Roshan, who wish to pursue careers in public policy, political science, or international affairs by giving them an opportunity to witness and understand the legislative process first-hand. As the only program of its kind, the NPSF is designed to provide support and encouragement for young Iranian Americans who, to this juncture, have not enjoyed the benefits of programs and institutions to facilitate their incursion into American politics and civic life.

“It’s so important for young Iranian Americans to get involved in civic life,” said Jamal Abdi, NIAC Policy Director. “Roshan is part of the next generation of Iranian Americans who are passionate about increasing our community’s impact on the political process and we are proud to have her as a fellow.”

“I know that I will be working in the public service sector in the future,” said Roshan. “I have received some of the best opportunities in the world and it doesn’t feel right to not use that to help other people.”

2010 marks the fifth year of the NPSF and the NIAC decision committee was yet again overwhelmed by the quality of the applicant pool. In the future, NIAC hopes to award more summer fellowships to emerging leaders in the Iranian-American community.

NIAC’s Public Service Fellowship is highly competitive as applicants are judged on the basis of their academic credentials, demonstrated interest and involvement in public service and the Iranian-American community, as well as the ability to fulfill the needs and expectations of the Congressional office.