APAC Summer Internship Program
The Asian Pacific American Coalition (APAC) Summer Internship program provides interested students an opportunity to gain much needed career experience. Most high school and college students are looking for work experience that is meaningful and hands on. The APAC Summer Internship program is a great way for students to attain both of those goals. We offer internships with elected officials and community-based organizations. Moreover, our internships can also provide real world work experiences and allow you to discover your capabilities. APAC internships are wonderful benefit to students personally and professionally.
The APAC Summer Internship program is now accepting applications until February 10, 2025. We welcome applications from full-time students from high school and college. The minimum age to apply is 16 years of age. Scroll below for the 2025 Application and Guidelines.
The internship schedules vary depending on office location, but in general, the duration is from June to August. We ask all interns to avoid scheduling their personal or family summer vacation during their internship duration. We expect APAC interns to honor the time commitment made for their full internship experience.
After successful completion of their internship and an exit interview with an APAC board member, the student will receive a $2,000 stipend.
APAC Summer Internship Application
We are now accepting applications.
We welcome applications from full-time students from high school and college, regardless of ethnicity. The internship schedules vary depending on office location, but in general, the duration is from June to August. After successful completion of their internship and an exit interview with an APAC board member, the student will receive a $2,000 stipend.
Please feel free to contact Natasha Wong if you have any questions or concerns at info@apacsd.org with SUMMER INTERNSHIP in the subject line.
Click here to download Summer Internship Application Form
Click here for the Summer Internship Guidelines
Summer Internship 2025 Testimonials
Summer Internship Testimonials
“Interning for APAC of San Diego gave me the amazing opportunity to intern under Councilmember Pro Tempore Kent Lee’s Office over the summer. The internship was an immense learning experience; I learned the ins-and-outs of our city’s politics, the process of policy making for the city, and especially enforcing the importance of civic engagement. Whilst interning, I got to have many great experiences, such as flyering for the city as well as political campaigns and visiting various governmental offices and facilities. Visiting such various institutions was the most important to me as it broadened my knowledge of potential jobs in future— in which such opportunity let me figure out what career I now want to pursue! I believe people should intern for APAC, especially those who value youth voices, want to expand their knowledge about their own community of San Diego, and even people who just want to explore different career paths.”
Kenneth Carbonell, Councilman Kent Lee
“Through the APAC internship program, I was honored to work at the city attorney’s office, where I learned about law, policy, and giving back to the San Diego community. Beyond strengthening my knowledge in the field of law, I was able to help attorneys and create meaningful connections with others. I have gained skills that will translate in work and academic spaces, but also in becoming a better leader and advocate for others. I would highly recommend the APAC internship program to anyone looking to engage civically with their community.”
Anna Yun, San Diego City Attorney’s Office
“Before this internship, politics felt distant. But after working with the Senator’s office, I saw how much one conversation or one idea can shape real change in our community.”
Daniel Park, California State Senator Brian Jones
“Because of APAC, I had the incredible opportunity to intern with the Burnham Center for Community Advancement (BCCA), where I witnessed firsthand the power of collective impact and how it positively affects our San Diego community. As an intern, I had the opportunity to spend my summer gaining knowledge on data collection, attending stakeholder meetings, communicating with representatives of our community, and collaborating with other staff, where I overall gained invaluable exposure to the inner workings of a non-profit. Thanks to APAC, I was able to strengthen my research and teamwork skills while also gaining better insight in the world of community engagement, which I will apply in my future career.”
Emily Kao, Burnham Center for Community Advancement
“As an APAC intern, I served in State Senator Brian W. Jones’ office for the California Congressional District 40. This experience taught me how to connect with constituents. I helped individuals in the district connect to state agencies, assisted local businesses, and honored those who contributed to the community through their service. This internship significantly enhanced my understanding of governmental power at the regional level. Since completing this internship, my interest in political science has grown, and I look forward to starting my senior internship focused on outreach for the office in August 2025. I encourage anyone interested in politics and community improvement to apply for the APAC internship.”
Lance Lin, California Senator Brian Jones
“As an APAC summer intern, I had the wonderful opportunity to shadow staff members at Council President Joe LaCava’s office. I came in not knowing what would come of this opportunity, but through attending City Council meetings, researching dog parks near joint-use facilities and meeting agenda items, and creating social media campaign posters, I am coming out knowing that these two weeks have completely revolutionized my perspective on local politics and the work all politicians’ staff members perform. I definitely highly recommend APAC’s summer internship for anyone interested in immersing themself in the political landscape and gaining valuable political experience.”
David Lai, Councilman Joe LaCava
“As an APAC intern at Data Science Alliance (DSA), I had the opportunity to apply my coding, data analysis, and design skills to address challenges facing underserved communities in San Diego. I learned a great deal from my mentors, gaining insights into how data analytics can expand access to financial institutions and help shape programs that drive positive change. I’m grateful for the chance to contribute to this mission and hope to continue this work in the future.”
Harry Park, Data Science Alliance
“My APAC summer internship was a valuable experience that pushed me out of my comfort zone and allowed me talk to and get advice from many sucessful and smart people. Through Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe’s Summer Youth Academy, I learned skills such as writing a board letter, creating a communications strategy, and
making a community engagement plan. I then had the opportunity to present a solution to homelessness directly to Supervisor Montgomery Steppe by creating a presentation and using the skills we had learned. During the Summer Youth Academy, we also had the opportunity to attend a San Diego Board of Supervisors meeting and interact with the community by attending a homeless resource fair. This internship gave me important skills and connections, and I would highly recommend APAC to anyone interested in public service or government.”
Nevinh Do, Supervisor Monica Montgomery-Steppe
“This is my second time interning for the APAC program. This summer I was granted the opportunity to intern under State Senator Minority Leader Brian Jones. This gave me a great chance to see how a political office is run and network amongst fellow political science majors. Thank you so much APAC for this opportunity!”
Justin Watanabe, California State Senator Brian Jones
“Interning at the Office of Councilmember Stephen Whitburn through APAC was an incredible honor. Through researching council policies, drafting commendations and proclamations, and communicating directly with constituents, I was able to gain firsthand experience in local governance. This internship deepened my passion for public service and affirmed my desire to pursue a career in policy.”
Chloe Sun, San Diego City Councilman Stephen Whitburn
“As a three-year veteran of the APAC internship program, I have had the privilege to serve in the offices of Mayor Todd Gloria and Congressman Scott Peters, and this summer, had the incredible opportunity to intern with the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office. As an intern at the One Safe Place Family Justice Center, I was able to broaden my worldview and experiences while being able to support survivors of domestic violence and other crimes. Through these various experiences, I have gained skills that help me communicate with local leaders, constituents, and even survivors. I have also become more well-versed in local and national social and political issues. APAC has been instrumental in shaping the person I am and the fields I want to be in after graduating from college. I highly suggest that anyone looking to grow personally and professionally, gain more experience, or better their communities apply for the APAC internship.”
Ishaa Giridhar, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
“Through APAC, I had the incredible opportunity to connect with San Diego Councilwoman Marni Von Wilpert’s office and complete a truly eye-opening internship. I gained valuable insight into the policy implementation process and witnessed firsthand how community leaders are amplifying our voices to bring about meaningful change.”
Khushee Goel, San Diego Councilwoman Marni VonWilpert
“As an APAC intern, I was honored to intern with the offices of Supervisor Monica Montgomery-Steppe and State Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones. I learned about the various policies and systems that local governments utilize to support the communities they represent, as well as the leadership qualities that make shared visions a reality. I highly recommend the APAC Internship program to anyone interested in government, politics, or leadership.”
Noah Lee, Supervisor Monica Montgomery-Steppe & State Senator Brian Jones
“My internship this summer with the Data Science Alliance, provided by APAC, was an incredible opportunity. I was able to develop real-world skills in data analysis, graphic design, and community outreach. I’m grateful for APAC for making this connection and am excited to continue working with the Data Science Alliance beyond this summer!”
Anya Rastogi, Data Science Alliance
“During my short but meaningful internship at the Burnham Center for Community through the APAC summer internship program, I learned a lot of useful skills that I know will benefit me in the future. From the small day-to-day things like how to be more professional in emails and setting up a Linkedin to a bigger thing like getting active in meetings and connecting with well known people within the community. I think one big thing that I have learned is the vast ecosystem of San Diego and how that influences places beyond the region. I was able to connect with so many people in so many vast fields across the non-profit sector. I really enjoyed sitting in on the meetings (workforce development, community fabric, etc) and learning more about what a non-profit like BCCA does. One of my favorite and most interesting projects was the mapping and listing of the government officials in San Diego. In the future I am interested in running for office and I was able to get a better sense of how different people influence the government, and how they play a big role in helping non-profits achieve their goals with mutual connections. Thank you APAC for this wonderful opportunity, I am very grateful.”
Christopher Kam, Burnham Center for Community Advancement
“I am incredibly thankful to APAC for helping me secure an internship with Assemblymember Dr. Darshana Patel, which became one of my most meaningful experiences. I handled constituent calls about education policy, assisted with casework, and completed a capstone project on juvenile education that showed me how legislative tracking and management systems turn community concerns into action. More than policy and process, I learned about leadership that makes a real difference, and I am grateful to have been part of such a supportive, dedicated team. None of this would have been possible without APAC’s constant support, which has inspired me to continue learning about my local government.”
Joshua Suen, California State Senator Darshana Patel
“I was deeply grateful to serve as an intern with the Office of Assemblymember Dr. Darshana Patel for my APAC internship. I learned valuable information about public policy and the legislative process at a state level, and I had direct experience interacting with Assemblymember Patel’s constituents. I gained and refined important teamwork and civic involvement skills, whether I was interacting with constituents at local fairs and events, working on informational literature for the Assemblymember’s office, or answering concerns and questions emailed to the office, I found the internship very enjoyable and fulfilling. I gained important insight and I truly had a much deeper understanding of California’s legislative system and how legislators work to improve the lives of their constituents. I highly recommend anyone who is interested in gaining experience in the political sector or in civic engagement and participation to apply for the APAC internship.”
Daniel Sabet, California State Senator Darshana Patel
“I’m a senior at Del Norte High School and was a 2025 APAC Summer Intern for Congressman Scott Peters. Working in Congressman Peters’ office was a truly transformative experience that gave me a deep understanding of the legislative process and constituent services. During my internship, I took on a variety of roles: speaking directly with constituents to help resolve casework with federal agencies, assisting the Congressman during meetings and site visits, and conducting research on active bills to keep the office informed about upcoming legislation. This experience was incredibly valuable and reaffirmed my passion for politics and public policy, which is a field I hope to pursue as a career. This was my second year participating in the APAC Summer Internship Program; last year, I interned in Mayor Todd Gloria’s office. Both opportunities have been deeply fulfilling and have given me an immersive look at how government works on different levels. I am grateful to APAC for making these experiences possible and encourage anyone passionate about public service to apply.”
Gerrit Siwabessy, Congressman Scott Peters
The Asian Pacific American Coalition (APAC) is committed to equal opportunity for all individuals. Our programs and activities shall be free from discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying by reason of the following actual or perceived characteristics: age, ancestry, color, mental or physical disability, ethnicity, ethnic group identification, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, immigration status, marital or parental status, medical condition, nationality, national origin, actual or perceived sex, sexual orientation, race, religion, or on the basis of a person’s association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.