The deadline to apply is January 2, 2024

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Last Chance to Apply!

The final deadline to apply for the 2024 OCA Summer Internship Program is January 2, 2024 at 11:59 PM PT. Undergraduate students (and recent grads) who identify as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander (AANHPI) are encouraged to apply. The program will take place in Washington, D.C. June 3 - August 9, 2024.


** For 35 years, OCA National Center has hosted the oldest and largest program for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander college students in the nation’s capital.
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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 with nonprofits, federal agencies, and other organizations for a full-time internship. 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.

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** Learn More & Apply ([link removed])

By making a tax-deductible gift this holiday season, you can help us meet our $500,000 goal and ensure that there is a pipeline of AANHPI leaders for generations to come. A generous individual will match every dollar up to $50,000, so your contribution will have twice the impact.
** Give $20 to Our Internship Program Today! ([link removed])

In their own words

Jenny Lee, 2023 Intern: "My summer as an OCA intern was so personally and professionally fulfilling, Thanks to the internship program, I was able to explore the reproductive freedom movement for the first time and integrate my knowledge of Asian American Studies at NARAL. I walked away with new knowledge of the reproductive freedom movement, a broadened outlook on the ways advocacy takes shape, and confidence in my ability to relocate to an unfamiliar city and build a community over such a short time span."

Aalaya Gurram, 2023 Intern: “The OCA Summer Internship Program was a life-changing experience. Although I didn't get in on my first shot at applying to the internship program, I didn't give up, and I applied to it again, and I am very glad I did! OCA opened me up to a whole new world of possibilities and experiences, both professional and social that I had never had access to before. This program made me more confident in my identity as an Asian American in the workforce and gave me tools and connections that I will carry on for the rest of my life.”

Stanley Fie'eiki Jr, 2023 Intern: “The OCA Summer Internship Program was a fantastic internship program that helped students of AANHPI background develop skills and build relationships that will aid them in their future fulfilling careers. Thanks to the program, I was able to lay the foundation for a stronger NHPI community in D.C.”

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Watch the 2023 OCA Summer Internship Recap Video
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OCA National Center
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