OCA Internship Program | Application | Placements | Summer Internship | Summer Internship FAQ | Alumni | Contribute

The summer internship program is one of OCA's signature programs and introduces interns to public policy in Washington DC.

2010 Summer Class of Interns:

Candace Won / University of California, Berkeley / Department of Housing and Urban Development
Chaney Saephan / University of California, Berkeley / Southeast Asian Resource and Action Center
Dexter Rassavong / Iowa State University / OCA National
John Badiola / University of Nevada, Las Vegas / Senator Ensign's Office
John Kawamura / Brown University / Office of Management and Budget
Kha Ly / University of Missouri / Peace Corps Office of Volunteer Recruitment and Selection
Kimberly Sarabia / Indiana University, Bloomington / OCA National
Krupa Patel / University of Illinois at Chicago / Minority Business Development Agency
Laura Nolan / Scripps College / White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
Maruel Unrein / University of Kansas / Department of Veteran's Affairs
Mary Lee / University of Arkansas / OCA National
Matthew Yagyagan / University of California, Berkeley / Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Office
Muttika Chaturabul / University of California, Berkeley / OCA National
Pang Dao Moua / American University / Department of Transportation
Pauline Wang / Pomona College / Representative Judy Chu's Office
Shilpa Boppana / Swarthmore College / National Education Association
Timothy Huey / Saint Mary’s College of California / Peace Corps Overseas Recruitment, Selection & Support
Timothy Ng / Oberlin College / Mayor's Office of Asian Pacific Islander Affairs
Vi Ho / University of Florida / Housing and Urban Development

Placements:

Please check the Placements for potential internship locations. At this location, interns will be supervised and given projects that will expose interns to public policy decisions. If you have any questions, please contact Iimay Ho at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .

Stipend:

The stipend amount will be based upon available funding, but usually ranges from $2000-2500 for 10 weeks of full-time work. Interns receive half of their stipend midway through their internship, and the other half upon successful completion of their internship.

Housing:

Accepted interns are required to find their own housing in Washington, DC for the duration fo their internship. OCA encourages interns to find housing together to reduce costs. Also, many former interns say that living together was one of the best parts of their summer internship experience. There are many affordable summer sublets and apartments available in the DC Metro area. Please see the summer housing guide for more information.

Special Projects:

OCA National Convention - Interns help organize and plan our annual National Convention, the largest annual APA conference in the country. This year's convention will be in Houston, TX from June 17-20th, 2010.

Campus Action Plan - Interns are required to research, create, and present a campus action plan before the conclusion of the internship. Interns are expected to identify an issue, challenge, or problem on their campus and to organize and develop solutions to address their issue. 

Programs:

Brownbag Lunch Series - OCA organizes brownbag lunch sessions that will examine in detail specific policy issues that affect the APA community and the broader civil rights community. These sessions will bring together other APA nonprofit interns and provide further opportunities for interns to network. Sessions have explored topics such as comprehensive immigration reform, health care reform, education policy, and APA women's reproductive rights.

Congressional Visits - Interns will be given the opportunity to schedule meetings with their member of Congress or Senator for a lobbying visit.  Visits will entail discussions concerning public policy and an inside look at the legislative work of Congress.

Opportunities to Meet Other APA Summer Interns:

International Leadership Fellowship (ILF) - The International Leadership Foundation promotes the civic awareness, public service, and economic effectiveness of the Asian Pacific American community and develops young leaders in the United States and other Pacific Rim countries in the fields of public service, entrepreneurship and the international arena through a network of business and community leaders. OCA summer interns will have the chance to meet the ILF fellows as well as participate in their events. 

Washington Leadership Program (WLP) - For the past two decades, Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL) has continued to administer the only summer educational and leadership development workshop series in Washington, DC focused specifically on the Asian Pacific American community and its role in public policy. The Washington Leadership Program is a free evening and weekend program intended to supplement a Washington, DC internship experience. Sessions focus on the creation of issue knowledge, career exploration, and leadership. OCA summer interns are encouraged to participate in the Washington Leadership Program.

2001-2005 OCA Internship Class Video

2006 OCA Internship Class Video

2007 OCA Internship Class Video

2008 OCA Internship Class Video

2009 OCA Internship Class Video