WATERTOWN – The Armenian Mirror-Spectator has a summer intern, thanks to the Armenian Students’ Association Inc. Journalism Internship Award. He is Alec Seferian, from Lexington, Mass. He is a junior at Virginia Tech majoring in mechanical engineering.
Seferian grew up in Watertown, where he attended St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School as well as the Armenian Sisters’ Academy in Lexington before moving to Lexington and graduating from Lexington High School in 2013. A lifelong member of St. James Armenian Church, Seferian graduated from both its Armenian school and Sunday school. His family has long been associated with St. James, where his paternal grandmother Alice Seferian was the social services director for many years. She helped new immigrants get acclimated to living in the US, helping with translation, welfare and housing. Previously she was the superintendent of the Sahag Mesrob Armenian School. She and her late husband Antranig were fixtures at Tuesday night bingo for many years, helping in the kitchen as well as on the floor. His maternal grandfather Apkar Potookian continues to serve today as a deacon. His father, Alan Seferian, served on the Parish Council and nominating committee, as well as on the board of the Sahag Mesrob Armenian School.
An avid sports fan, Alec Seferian found an interest in journalism while following his favorite teams. After watching his beloved New England Patriots play every Sunday, he would write reports on the games during his high school journalism class. His Armenian heritage has also greatly influenced his athletic interests, as he is a fan of the Armenian National Football (Soccer) Team, as well as the numerous high-profile Armenian wrestlers in the Olympics.
His interest in journalism eventually led to his internship with the Mirror-Spectator. Seferian’s duties include assisting the staff with the editing and proofreading of articles as well as writing. He enjoys reading up on the latest news and politics from a variety of sources, naturally including the Mirror-Spectator.
Seferian said, “I am very grateful for the opportunity to work at such a historic and loved newspaper as an intern. It has been a great experience so far learning the ins and outs of the paper with our editor, Alin K. Gregorian, and the assistant editor Aram Arkun, as well as all of the other fantastic people at the Mirror-Spectator.”
