OCA Summer Internship Program

June 2 — August 8, 2025

Leadership Development • Professional Development • Personal Enrichment

For 35 years, OCA National Center has hosted the longest-running internship program for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander college students in the nation’s capital.

The Priority Deadline to apply is December 1, 2024 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time.

The Final Deadline to apply is January 5, 2025 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time.

Program Status: We are now accepting applications for the 2025 Summer Internship Program!

Undergraduate students (and recent grads) who identify as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander (AANHPI) are highly encouraged to apply.

The 2025 internship program will be in-person. All interns must relocate to Washington, D.C. for the duration of the program.

Please read the following program details, eligibility requirements, and frequently asked questions below prior to submitting your application. If you have any questions, please contact kent.tong@ocanational.org.

Page last updated November 4, 2024.

 

Program Overview

Celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2024, the internship program seeks to cultivate future leadership for the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community by providing opportunities to work in the public sector and learn about issues affecting AANHPIs. Based in the nation's capital, interns will learn to build relationships, meet with legislative officials, and engage in leadership development workshops.

The program has successfully led past interns to become more active on their college campus and increased the presence of the AANHPI community in local, state, and federal governments. OCA intern alumni have become executive directors, legislative staffers, OCA National Executive Council members, and are leaders in the private and public sector.

Selected applicants relocate to Washington, D.C. for the duration of their internship, where they are placed to work full-time at nonprofits, federal agencies, congressional offices, for-profit corporations, and other organizations. Each Friday, interns gather at the OCA National office to discuss issues and engage in workshops dedicated to AANHPI issues. We call these convenings “Sama Sama” which is Tagalog for “together.” Interns also must attend and staff OCA’s National Convention, an APIA-U: Leadership training, and participate in Advocacy Day, in which they’ll be split into groups to meet with their respective members of Congress to advocate for causes important to the AANHPI community. In addition to these events, OCA interns are provided opportunities to build their professional, personal, and advocacy skills to create compassionate leaders in the AANHPI community.

Host an OCA intern this summer

We place interns to work full-time at external organizations, including nonprofits, federal agencies, congressional offices, and for-profit corporations. If your office is interested in hosting an intern this summer, please contact kent.tong@ocanational.org.

Meet the Interns!

Since 1989, nearly 600 students have participated in our paid, Washington, D.C.-based summer internships — which are designed to promote stronger AANHPI participation in government and advocacy.

 

Program Details

When is the deadline to apply?

  • Priority Deadline: December 1, 2024 at 11:59 PM PT.

  • Final Deadline: January 5, 2025 at 11:59 PM PT.

What are the 2025 Summer Internship Program Dates?

  • Monday, June 2, 2025 to Friday, August 8, 2025 (ten weeks).

What will OCA summer interns receive?

  • $5,250 stipend (pre-tax)

  • Professional work experience

  • Networking and leadership development

  • Access to OCA alumni network

  • One (1) year free OCA membership upon completion of the internship

What are the program requirements?

  • Attend an in-person internship program orientation on Monday, June 2, 2025.

  • Work up to 35 hours a week for ten weeks at placement site.

  • In addition to their work at their respective placement sites, all interns are required to participate in the following mandatory OCA internship programming:

    • Sama Sama (five hours every Friday)

      • Interns are required to attend weekly Friday “Sama Sama” sessions to discuss AANHPI issues, hear from guest speakers, participate in workshops related to leadership, professional, and personal development, and more.

      • Interns may be required to do short presentations on a topic of their choice to educate their fellow cohort members, to be presented during Sama Sama.

    • APIA-U: Leadership training (date TBD)

      • Interns will participate in an APIA-U: Leadership training. APIA-U is a full-day leadership and advocacy training we provide for all college students in the DC area that consists of a series of workshops.

    • OCA National Convention (July 24-26, 2025)

      • Interns will work in a variety of roles, many that include manual labor and social networking, alongside OCA National Staff at the annual OCA National Convention.

    • Advocacy Day (date TBD)

      • Interns will be split into groups and given training to meet with congressional offices for Advocacy Day. Each group will meet with their respective congressional representatives to advocate for AANHPI issues OCA is promoting.

    • Interns will attend tentative programming that OCA co-hosts with partner organizations, including intern networking events.

  • Complete time sheets documenting hours worked, per placement requirements.

  • Complete mid-term and final evaluations with OCA’s internship program coordinator.

  • Complete an exit memo at the end of the internship, detailing your work over the summer.

  • Comply with OCA policies regarding work performance and personal conduct.

FAILURE TO FULFILL ANY OF THE ABOVE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS MAY RESULT IN YOUR REMOVAL FROM THE PROGRAM AND/OR REDUCTION OF YOUR STIPEND.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Applicants must be full-time undergraduate students currently enrolled in an accredited educational institution. Recent graduates who have graduated within one year of the internship are also eligible.

  • Applicants must be at least an incoming second-year college student by the start of the internship (i.e. must have completed their first year of college).

  • Applicants must be interested in AANHPI issues.

  • Applicants do not need to be a U.S. citizen. DACA students or undocumented students must have a Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to be eligible for this internship. Non-U.S. citizens must be eligible to work by the first day of this internship program in order to be eligible. Some of our placements may require their assigned intern to be a citizen, so certain placement sites may be unavailable to non-citizens.

  • Applicants must not be a former OCA National Summer Intern (OCA Chapter Interns can still apply).

  • Applicants must not be a child or dependent of:

    • an OCA National staff member,

    • an OCA Executive Council member,

    • or an OCA Business Advisory Council member.

Application Requirements

  • Professional Headshot

    • This should be a high-quality photo that clearly shows your face.

  • Short Bio (in PDF format, 300 words max)

    • This should include your background, identity, school, major/minor, work/experience, interests, etc. This info will be used on our website if you are selected to be an intern. If you’d like to see examples of what this short bio should look like, please refer to our previous interns page.

  • Resume (in PDF format, 2 pages max)

    • This should include your leadership, community service/volunteer, and/or work experience

  • Experiences (in PDF format)

    • Please upload a PDF that includes information about your Leadership, Community Service, and/or Employment experience. You may list up to three experiences each. (i.e. Three leadership experiences, three community service experiences, and three employment experiences.) If you don't have any experience in any of the three types, you can skip that type.

    • For each experience you list, you should describe your role/responsibilities, the start/end dates for the experience, your challenges and accomplishments, and what you learned/gained from the experience. Use this space to expand/provide more details on your resume and/or to include any leadership experiences you didn't include on your resume. The more detailed, the better.

    • Click here to view an example of what this document should look like.

  • College Academic Transcript (in PDF format)

    • Unofficial transcripts are also accepted

    • The transcript must show your Grade Point Average (GPA)

    • If you are a first-year student and do not currently have a transcript or GPA, then, for the time being, in the application form when you're asked to upload your transcript, please upload a PDF document stating your current situation and that you will email kent.tong@ocanational.org your transcript after your first semester is completed.

  • One (1) Short Answer Response (in PDF format, 300 words max)

    • Short answer prompt: How would this internship program benefit you? What do you hope to learn and gain? What do you have to offer to the cohort?

  • Two (2) Essay Responses (in PDF format, 500 words max each)

    • Essay Prompt 1: Choose one issue affecting the AANHPI community that you are passionate about. What sparked your interest in this issue? What vision do you have for the future when it comes to this issue?

    • Essay Prompt 2: Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

  • Two (2) References

    • Include their name, job title/position, name of company/organization they work, email, phone number, and their relationship to you

    • References can be anyone who can speak about you and your experiences on a personal and professional level. References must not be a family member. We may contact one or both of your references if we determine the need to ask them about you and your application.

    • Please note we are NOT asking for letters of recommendations.

The Internship Experience

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The Internship Experience *

01. Placement Sites

Interns are placed to work full-time for ten weeks at OCA National Center or various external offices, including federal agencies, congressional offices, nonprofits, political organizations, and for-profit corporations. Past placement sites have included, but are not limited to:

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“The OCA internship program has been beneficial professionally as I was able to secure a full-time job as a policy associate with NAPABA, which was my OCA placement, after graduating. I was able to prove my ability to be resourceful and hardworking at NAPABA through the internship. I also gained more crucial skills in adapting to the specifics of working at NAPABA through the internship, which made me a more competitive applicant for the policy associate position.”

— Aalaya Gurram, 2023 Intern

“I've cultivated lifelong friends with [Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance] staff and have established working relations with key academics and organizers conducive to carrying out my undergraduate senior honors thesis and my tentative Fulbright research scholarship application.”

— Darren De Leon, 2019 Intern

02. Sama Sama

Interns attend weekly sessions called “Sama Sama,” to discuss AANHPI issues, hear from guest speakers, participate in leadership and professional development workshops, cohort bonding and personal enrichment activities, and intern presentations on topics of their expertise.

“Sama Sama sessions were eye-opening for me as an intern. These sessions were the first all-AAPI political spaces I had ever encountered. I learned about each of my peers' lived experiences, how their identities shaped their politics, and what it meant to be an advocate.”

— Olivia Zalecki, 2018 Intern

“During intern presentations where we presented on issue areas/topics we were each passionate about, I realized just how vibrant the cohort of interns was. I learned every day from the viewpoints of my peers, and allowed me to see how all advocacy is interconnected. Though a long ten week internship program, it was one that was hard to leave.”

— Liam Tanglao, 2023 Intern

03. APIA-U: Leadership

Interns attend an OCA APIA-U: Leadership training, an all-day program comprised of leadership, advocacy, and identity-development workshops. AANHPI interns from other DC nonprofit organizations are also invited to attend, making this a great networking opportunity for interns.

“The program was very applicable to young AAPI leaders within our community, as it allowed us to dive deeper into our identity.”

— Anonymous

04. Advocacy Day

Interns participate in Advocacy Day, in which they split into groups and spend all day meeting with their respective members of Congress to advocate for AANHPI causes, such as AANHPI history and curriculum, anti-Asian hate crimes, immigration, mental health, voting rights, and gun safety legislation.

“I remember distinctly my intern group walking down the hallway from our last congressional office on Advocacy Day. We were bursting with excitement but wanted to wait until we were far enough to begin celebrating. All of us had been nervous before, and today we had seen our hard work come to fruition. It had been a complete success, and we felt we had contributed to real change that would positively affect our community. I don't think I will ever forget the way we felt that afternoon.”

— Jay Moran, 2022 Intern

“Advocacy Day was amazing - the opportunity to visit congressional offices to discuss AAPI issues was a great and formative learning experience. It helped build confidence as well.”

— Nolan Burdett, 2019 Intern

05. OCA National Convention

Interns attend and support OCA National Center staff at the annual OCA National Convention; staff convention, including setting up and breaking down workshop rooms, ushering attendees to sessions, stage management, registering and checking in attendees; and network with fellow attendees.

“When I was working as a stagehand during the 2023 National Convention Awards Gala, I stood backstage with powerful figures from the AANHPI community, from actors to news broadcasters. Chatting with these leaders and then seeing them address the Convention floor moved me to tears. It made me feel more connected to this community and to the work of advocacy than I had ever felt before, and it’s all because of the opportunities I was offered through OCA’s internship program.”

— Jack Trowbridge, 2023 Intern

“Attending the OCA convention was a very memorable experience The interns staffed the convention over three days and assisted with registration, facilitated workshops, and acted as guides in the venue. It was eye-opening to see everyone in the AANHPI advocacy sphere coming together into this one space and getting to talk to people like Commissioner Glenn Magpantay and other achieved OCA-affiliated individuals. I learned a lot about what it means to be an advocate. Whether advocacy is done through grassroots organizations, public policy, law, or the arts—you can always find the good work to be done somewhere.”

— Iris Liu, 2024 Intern

“Another memorable experience was the OCA 50th Convention because I had never staffed a convention before. It was rewarding to help execute the needed responsibilities during the convention, and it was a space where I was able to bond a lot deeper with my intern cohort. I had such a great summer that I decided to volunteer as a cohort leader in the summer of 2024!”

 — Sunny Hu, 2023 Intern

Frequently Asked Questions

Tap on a question to see the answer. If you have a question not covered in the FAQs, contact Kent Tong at kent.tong@ocanational.org.

  • Priority Application Deadline:

    Sunday, December 1, 2024 at 11:59 PM PT.

    Priority Applicant Interviews:

    • Priority Applicants will be notified in late December if they’ve been rejected or selected to move onto the interview round.

    • Priority Applicant interviews will take place in early January.

    Priority Applicant Status Update:

    Priority Applicants who have completed interviews will be notified by February if they’ve been accepted, rejected, or waitlisted.

    Final Application Deadline:

    Sunday, January 5, 2025 at 11:59 PM PT.

    Regular Applicant Interviews:

    • Applicants who’ve applied after the Priority Deadline (aka regular applicants) will be notified by late January if they’ve been rejected or selected to move onto the interview round.

    • Regular applicant interviews will take place in late January/early February.

    Applicant Status Update:

    Regular applicants will be notified by March if they have been accepted, waitlisted, or rejected.

  • All applicants will be fully-considered for the internship program.

    Applicants who apply by the priority deadline will receive priority consideration for the internship and be notified of their applicant status earlier.

  • Interns are required to adhere to the official program start and end dates. Alternate start/end dates may be considered for academic reasons, such as schools in quarter systems. If you need to request a different start/end date for the internship, please let us know within your application and we will determine on a case-by-case basis.

    Interns who complete less than ten weeks of the internship program may have their stipends deducted.

  • The OCA Summer Internship Program is in-person. All interns will be required to relocate to Washington, D.C. for the duration of the internship program. It’s expected that most placement sites will be working in person or hybrid, but there may be some placement sites that are completely virtual.

    OCA is unable to provide support with relocation.

  • Yes, all interns will be required to relocate to Washington, D.C. for the duration of the internship program. Even if your placement site is working remotely, you are still required to be in D.C. to attend required OCA Summer Internship programming.

    OCA is unable to provide support with relocation.

  • We consider many factors when selecting our interns, including but not limited to:

    • leadership potential and/or experience

    • passion and/or involvement in the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community

    • volunteer, community service, and/or civic engagement experience

    • political and social awareness

    • personality and character fit

    Applicants don’t need to have all three work, leadership, and community service experience. We understand everyone’s situation is unique and not everyone has the time nor resources to have all of these experiences. We are not looking for the best of the best, we are looking for people who can learn from this program and this experience, and who has the potential to make a positive impact to the AAPI community.

  • No. We require all applicants to have already completed their first year of college by the start of the internship program to be eligible for our internship program.

  • If you are a first-year student and do not currently have a transcript or GPA, then, for the time being, in the application form when you're asked to upload your transcript, please upload a PDF document stating your current situation and that you will email kent.tong@ocanational.org your transcript after your first semester is completed.

  • Yes! Many previous interns were those who were rejected before but reapplied later, or several times, before finally being accepted. A rejection does not mean you are not wanted in our program, most of the time it just means we simply didn’t have enough spots.

  • No. If you decide to not participate in the summer internship program in which you were admitted, you must submit a new application to reapply the next time applications open.

  • Yes, this internship is open to all identities as long as they are interested in AANPHI issues.

  • Yes, we will notify specific candidates who are not accepted if they’d like to be on the waitlist.

    • Interns will receive a stipend of $5,250 for the ten-week internship program.

    • The stipend is pre-tax, meaning interns will be required to file taxes on this income next tax filing season.

    • On rare occasions, a placement site my choose to pay the OCA intern themselves instead of relying on OCA’s stipend. In such cases, the placement site must at minimum match the amount of OCA’s stipend.

    • OCA summer interns cannot participate in other paid fellowship or internship programs at the same time as the OCA Summer Internship Program. If you will be participating in another paid program at the same time as OCA’s summer internship, please contact kent.tong@ocanational.org and exemptions may be made on a case-by-case basis.

    • A scholarship or similar aid from your school is allowed.

    • Interns who do not complete ten (10) full weeks of the internship program will have their stipend reduced.

  • Yes, this would be in addition to the OCA Stipend. Be sure to check with your academic institution.

  • This all depends on where you’re placed, as well as the needs of your placement. In the past, interns have done a variety of tasks, including: communications work (graphic design, social media management, press releases), policy work (research, meetings on The Hill), advocacy organizing, logistics/event planning, managing databases, and misc. administrative tasks.

    • There is a mandatory in-person orientation that is scheduled to take place the first week of the internship.

    • Interns are required to attend weekly Friday “Sama Sama” sessions to discuss AANHPI issues, engage with guest speakers, participate in workshops, and more.

    • Interns may be required to do short presentations on a topic of their choice to educate their fellow cohort members, to be presented during Sama Sama.

    • Interns will participate in an APIA-U: Leadership training. APIA-U is a full-day leadership and advocacy training we provide for all college students in the DC area that consists of a series of workshops.

    • Interns will work in a variety of roles, many that include manual labor and social networking, alongside OCA National Staff at the annual OCA National Convention.

    • Interns will be split into groups and given training to meet with congressional offices for Advocacy Day. Each group will meet with their respective congressional representatives to advocate for AANHPI issues OCA is promoting.

    • Interns will attend tentative programming that OCA co-hosts with partner organizations, including intern networking events.

    • All interns are required to attend and work at the OCA National Convention.

    • OCA National will cover all travel, meals, and lodging for interns at the National Convention.

    • Each intern will share a double hotel room with one other intern cohort member.

    • Interns will be required to attend certain sessions during the National Convention.

    • Interns will be supporting OCA National staff in various roles and tasks, including providing logistical support, tech/AV support, moving equipment and supplies, set-up and breakdown, and other misc. tasks that may come up.

    • An example schedule of the weekend for interns may look like:

      • Wed: Intern arrival to venue; move supplies; assemble conference swag bags; Hours vary on this day

      • Thurs: Interns Call time at 8AM; go to assigned stations (workshop rooms, registration, set-up for banquet); Lunch at 12PM; go to assigned stations (workshop rooms, registration, clean-up); Dinner Event at 6PM (interns will check tickets and help attendees into the room); Interns Dismissed at 9PM

      • Fri: Breakfast 7:30AM; go to assigned stations; Lunch at 12PM; go to assigned stations; Dinner Event at 6PM; Interns Dismissed at 9PM

      • Sat: Breakfast at 8AM; go to assigned stations; Lunch at 12PM; go to assigned stations; Awards Gala at 6PM; Interns Dismissed at 11PM

      • Sun: Clean and pack up supplies; travel back to DC

  • Some interns will be placed at OCA National, while most interns will be placed with external partners, which may include congressional offices, nonprofits, corporations, and more. The placements and types of internships vary year by year depending on the availability of the placements.

  • No, OCA interns will find out their placement a several weeks after their acceptance. Our placement partners change every year and depend on availability. While we do our best to match interns to their preferred fields/industries, we cannot guarantee interns will be placed at organizations that directly relate to their interests. However, our previous interns who were placed at unrelated organizations have still found the experience to be valuable and beneficial.

  • OCA interns will be able to state their placement preferences, but final placement decisions will be made by the OCA Internship Program Coordinator. If the OCA intern decides to decline their placement assignment, they will be dismissed from the internship program.

  • OCA summer interns cannot participate in other paid fellowship or paid internship programs at the same time as the OCA Summer Internship Program. If you will be participating in another paid program at the same time as OCA’s summer internship, please contact kent.tong@ocanational.org and exemptions may be made on a case-by-case basis.

    OCA summer interns are allowed to work part-time jobs as long as they are still able to fulfill the program requirements of the OCA Summer Internship Program. Interns who are working at another job at the same time as the OCA Summer Internship Program must notify OCA’s internship program coordinator as soon as possible.

  • Yes, you can still be an OCA Summer Intern if you’ve already found your own placement to work at. However, you cannot receive payment from both internships. You will have to choose which one to be funded by. In addition, you must be able to participate in all of OCA’s required programming. There must be a written confirmation from your placement that they recognize you’ll need to be excused from work to attend OCA programming.

  • Yes, you can.

  • Unfortunately, we do not have the resources to provide housing for interns. However, we will provide each intern with a housing guide to make the transition as easy as possible.

  • OCA summer interns are not required to be vaccinated against Covid-19. However, there will be a face mask requirement during all OCA Summer Internship Programming, including APIA-U: Leadership and OCA National Convention.

In Their Own Words

Here’s what our interns have to say about our internship program.

  • "This internship has left me with an incredible experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life. OCA has facilitated an incredible community among its interns, and we have formed deep bonds that stretch across the country. "

    Alethea Franklin, 2024 Intern, U.S. House Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

  • "This is a really great internship program that helps students of AANHPI background grow skills and make relationships that will aid them towards future fulfilling careers."

    Stanley Fie’eiki Jr., 2023 Intern, OCA National Center

  • "This internship program was the spark I needed to understand the value of my Asian American identity, and the breadth of life experiences contained within the umbrella of that oversimplifying term. Via the support of OCA, I was able to understand the deeper impact of the work I was doing at my placement site, while also receiving many opportunities for vital professional development with other AANHPI leaders in the policy and advocacy community in our nation's capital."

    Kirit Minhas, 2023 Intern, White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI)

  • "The most rewarding aspect of the OCA internship was being involved with like-minded individuals who wanted to create change among and for the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. I felt that I was continuously learning everyday and through engaging with such versatile people I was brought out of my comfort zone, further helping me develop as a person."

    Gaomomee Yang, 2023 Intern, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum

  • "Through my OCA internship experience, I learned about careers and opportunities in public service that will allow me to serve and uplift my communities. I also learned that activism and advocacy can take many different forms—from community organizing to storytelling, we can all leverage our individual strengths and collaborate to make the world a better place."

    Amanda Young, 2023 Intern, 1882 Foundation

  • “OCA was an amazing opportunity for me to connect with other AAPI peers who are interested in advocacy work, as well as learn more about the industry itself. The cohort experience helped me find a home and community in unexpected places and people!”

    Kiran Rudra, 2022 Intern, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA)

  • “My experience as an intern with OCA is one that is unforgettable. I still use all of the lessons I learned in my day-to-day life and continuously question how it is possible to gain so much knowledge and experience in just 10 weeks. If I could go back and do this again, I would without any hesitation.”

    Lincoln Le, 2022 Intern, Democratic National Committee (DNC)

  • “My cohort members were honest, strong, determined, confident and so on. They taught me that despite all the different obstacles we had to go through individually that I could depend on them as a collective. I have never met such a talented group of people and it is because of this internship program that I was given the opportunity to meet them.”

    Zeta Atoigue, 2021 Intern, OCA National Center

  • “The thing I liked most about the internship program was the cohort. Despite it being in a virtual setting, sharing a space with such passionate, good-hearted individuals was a really engaging experience. Whether it be from sharing about our personal lives or our experiences at our different placements, I was able to connect with and learn a lot from the other interns during the summer.”

    Kenny Vaca, 2021 Intern, 1882 Foundation

  • “My favorite aspect of the OCA internship program was the diversity of our cohort. Not only did we come from different ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds, but we were also paired with a diverse set of organizations. Our different perspectives and experiences promoted empowering and meaningful collaboration.”

    Hunter Akiyoshi, 2021 Intern, Japanese American Citizens League (JACL)

  • "My internship exposed me to the greater OCA network and the depth of Asian/American advocacy work across the country. I most likely would not have become an OCA-NY board member had I not been an intern with National first. I have become even more involved with my local NYC community than I would have anticipated and it all goes back to my internship experience in Summer 2020 with OCA."

    Ana Luo Cai, 2020 Intern, 1882 Foundation

  • “This internship was all about meeting incredible people. Even though we worked remotely I still felt a closeness and friendship with the OCA staff and my fellow interns. I learned so much about activism and it was inspiring to meet so many other people who were passionate about seeking change in the world.”

    Alexander Shinkawa, 2020 Intern, OCA National Center

  • “Despite having a virtual internship, I was still able to form close relationships through the Summer 2020 Cohort. I’m really thankful to have been a Summer 2020 intern, since I gained such a special and passionate family!”

    Amber Nguyen, 2020 Intern, OCA National Center

  • “I loved Sama Sama the most because not only did I get to know more about OCA itself, I also got to know the rest of the Cohort better. I also loved Sama Sama because of the various workshops hosted and the team building games. Very engaging and fun!”

    PaNhia Vang, 2020 Intern, Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote)

  • “My OCA internship experience was unforgettable. I was able to discover career opportunities and learn so much about Asian American issues and nonprofit organizations, while also forming genuine friendships with the best cohort ever. OCA gave me the resources and confidence to be my best self.”

    Ashley Rajavadee, 2019 Intern, OCA National Center

  • “My experience as an OCA national intern transformed my vague thoughts about my future into real opportunities for me to strive for. Through my placement at the USDA, workshops on the importance of civic engagement, and complete immersion in the nation’s capital, I recognized a new love for public service that I hope will blossom into a career.”

    Kevin Ha, 2019 Intern, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

  • “I was able to meet inspiring AAPI educators and advocates from all sectors and walks of life. I met so many wonderful people and I plan to keep in touch with my coworkers, manager, and OCA cohort. The people you meet in DC and at the OCA Convention will amaze you with their passion, knowledge, and work ethic.”

    Katelyn Monaco, 2019 Intern, Teach For America

  • “Throughout the summer, I felt more empowered and proud of my Asian American identity. Furthermore, I did not think I would get close to any of the interns in the beginning but I am glad that I met and connected with everyone individually and as a group.”

    Kathleen Miao, 2019 Intern, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

  • “I laughed, I cried, I learned — what makes OCA stand out from other internships is that it provides you a family to fall back on throughout the chaos of DC. I not only made leaps and bounds in my professional development, but also in my personal growth. I emerged from OCA a stronger person, with a wider view of the community, and practicing the skills to keep making the world a better place.”

    Jessica Yan, 2019 Intern, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)

  • “The internship was a reminder to be open to new experiences, to allow myself to grow in my understanding of the world, and most importantly, to always approach life from a place of wonder. The people I met during my summer internship have inspired me to always keep my mind open to learning, unconditionally put my heart into what I believe is right, and to remember that I’ll always have friends whom I can reach out to at a moment’s notice to keep me steady along my path.”

    Alexander Le, 2019 Intern, Hepatitis B Foundation

Program Supporters

The OCA Internship Program is generously sponsored by the William H.P. & Sinforosa Tan Kaung Internship Endowment Fund, The Robert S. Chao AAPI Advocacy Memorial Endowment, Stan Lou, and individual donors.