INTERNSHIPS

Nikkei Community Internship
Location: Los Angeles & Bay Area
Duration: 8 weeks, June-August
Details: $2000 educational scholarship
Deadline: mid-March each year
Website: NCI Home

The Japanese American community has a vibrant history spanning more than a century and four generations in the United States. The participation of young Japanese Americans is one of the keys to sustaining the rich culture and traditions of the Nikkei heritage. The goal of the Nikkei Community Internship is to develop the next generation of leaders in the Nikkei community.

Teams of students who demonstrate commitment to the Japanese American community will be selected to intern in Los Angeles and the Bay Area. Interns will be placed at a Nikkei community organization for four days of the week. One day of each week is reserved for a staff meeting and debriefing, plus field trips and speakers for cultural and community exposure.

The Japanese Community Youth Council (JCYC) and Little Tokyo Service Center coordinate the program, with support from the Japanese American Citizens League, Pacific Southwest District. Since the number of internships is limited, the key to having broader impact and outreach through this program is to select a team of young Nikkei that can effectively organize and inspire their peers.

For more information, please contact Geoff Tsudama at the Little Tokyo Service Center (213) 473-1687 or Erika Tamura at the Japanese Community Youth Council (415) 563-8052.

International Leadership Foundation
Location: Washington, DC and Sacramento, CA
Duration: 6 weeks, summer
Details: up to 30 placements, $1000 stipend
Deadline: beginning of February each year
Website: description & application

The International Leadership Foundation (ILF) awards up to 30 internships for Asian American college students to better understand American government. Each student awarded a fellowship will spend six weeks during the summer working for a government agency in either Washington, DC or in Sacramento, California.

Any junior college, college, or university student in good standing is eligible to apply. Applicants must be United States citizens or legal residents. Each ILF Fellow selected will receive a $1,000 scholarship, funded by the ILF and the Ronald McDonald House Foundation. The ILF works with government agencies to place each Fellow in an internship that reflects his or her area of interest. Students must pay for their own travel, housing and living expenses during their internships.

“The ILF is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that promotes the civic involvement, and effectiveness, of Asian Pacific Americans,” explained ILF Chairman Dr. Paul Hsu.

Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics (LEAP)
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Duration: 8 weeks, summer
Details: 6-8 placements, $2,000 stipends
Deadline: beginning of March each year
Website: LEAP Internship Page

Leadership In Action (LIA) is a summer internship program from Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics (LEAP) that develops emerging leadership by providing college students with opportunities to gain hands-on experience working in selected Southern California Asian Pacific American non-profit organizations. LIA is a rigorous eight-week summer program. Interns work at selected community-based organizations, attend leadership seminars, and work on community projects. Interns receive a stipend for successful completion of the full program. Brochures are now available.

LEAP is a national organization founded in 1982 with a mission to achieve full participation and equality for Asian Pacific Americans through leadership, empowerment, and policy. With original programs in leadership training, public policy research, and community education, LEAP raises the impact and visibility of Asian Pacific Americans in all sectors.

If you have questions about applications for LIA, please contact Scott Chan, schan@leap.org, (213) 485-1422, ext. 4108.

Chinese American Student Internship Coalition (CASIC)
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Duration : 6 weeks, summer
Details: 10-15 placements, $500 stipend
Deadline: please see CAUSE website
Website: CAUSE Scholarship Page

Chinese Americans United for Self Empowerment (CAUSE) administers the CASIC program which places interns in different political and electoral offices at local, state and federal levels. The internship's objective is to encourage young Chinese Americans to participate in the democratic political process and to experience first-hand how electoral politics operates. Starting in 2002, CAUSE has partnered with the Japanese American Citizens League, Pacific Southwest District to open up CASIC to Japanese Americans. Applicants must be college students who are of Chinese American or Japanese American heritage with U.S. citizenship or permanent residence. For more information, check out the website www.causeusa.org or e-mail info@causeusa.org or call (626) 356-5297.

Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS)
Location: Washington, D.C.
Duration : 8 weeks - summer, year-round
Details: 3 placements, $2500 stipend
Deadline: end of January each year for summer program
Website: www.apaics.org

The focus of this summer internship program is to increase the participation of Asian Pacific Americans in the democratic process at the national, state, and local levels by placing APA students in congressional and federal administration internships. The program requires that applicants be college students of any level, having a 3.0-4.0 gpa, at least 18 years old. APAICS also offers year-round internships with various deadlines. For more information about APAICS internships, check the internship section of their website or e-mail apaics@apaics.org or call (202) 547-9100.

FELLOWSHIPS

Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS)
Location: Washington, D.C.
Duration : 9-10 months
Details: various fellowships
Deadline: various
Website: www.apaics.org

APAICS offers several fellowships and internships in Congressional offices as part of their mission to increase the participation of Asian Pacific Americans in the political process at the national, state and local levels. Program information and application forms are available here.

Mike M. Masaoka Congressional Fellowship
Location: Washington, D.C.
Duration: fall term (Sept-Dec) or spring term (Feb-May)
Details: $10,000 stipend
Deadline: beginning of April each year
Website: description & application

The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) is now seeking candidates for its Mike M. Masaoka Fellowship, an annual program that places extraordinary students and young professionals in Congressional offices to learn about public policymaking firsthand.

The successful candidate will serve his or her fellowship in the office of U.S. Senator or Member of the U.S. House of Representatives for three and one half months and receive a stipend of $10,000 and roundtrip airfare from the Fellow’s home to Washington, DC. The fellowship period may be the fall term (September through December) or the spring term (February through May) and will be arranged with the Congressional office and the Fellow.

All students who are in at least their third year of college or in graduate/professional programs and who are American citizens are encouraged to apply. Preference will be given to those with a demonstrated commitment to Asian Pacific American issues, particularly those affecting the Japanese American community. Interested persons should visit the JACL website for further information and an application or contact the Washington office of the JACL at (202) 223-1240; or by email: dc@jacl.org.