Internship Program 2025

The 1882 Foundation seeks to broaden public awareness of the history and continuing significance of Chinese Exclusion in the U.S. by encouraging cross-sector collaboration, uncovering and preserving community stories, promoting more inclusive histories in public education

Here's how you can get involved.

Apply for the 2025 Summer Internship Program

As our organization grows, we are building out an internship program in several of our program areas. We are always looking for passionate and committed individuals to work in our various focus areas, including historic preservation, education, museum studies, community events, civil rights, communications, and web design. All internships take place in Washington, D.C., based out of our office in Chinatown.

Intern projects, conducted under the guidance of the Foundation team, often focus on one of our key programs: the annual 1882 Symposium, a gathering of cultural institutions, non-profits, museums, and federal agencies to promote collaboration; and our monthly Talk Story community events; and curriculum development, teachers workshops, and state-level advocacy to include Chinese American history as part of K-12 standards of learning. We are also preparing for several exhibition partnerships, building out programming in heritage tourism, and launching several conferences, such as the second Rural Chinatowns and Hidden Valleys Conference, and the third Chinese Women in History Conference. That said, we welcome self-motivated individuals with passion and drive to advance a project of their interest that connects to our mission.

 

Our ideal internship candidates will:

  • Have a demonstrated connection to and experience with Chinese American history and/or APIA identity, culture, or politics
  • Be curious, self-motivated, independent, and energetic
  • Clearly communicate changes in availability
  • Not be afraid to ask questions
  • Approach challenges openly, thinking about creative and collaborative solutions

The summer intern’s primary responsibilities are to work with our project directors on our program initiatives to preserve and promote the education of Chinese American history and heritage. The position requires: 

  1. 20-25 hours per week, including some weekend and evening work
  2.  June 4 – August 8, 2025 availability
  3. Proficiency in research and analytical skills.
  4. In-person is preferred, some remote work may be available. If you are interested in the Education internship focus, in-person in the central Virginia area is preferred.

The Foundation is seeking interns with an interest in working on the following projects:

  1. Talk Story: Plan, prepare, and present public events on topics related to Asian American stories and experiences
  2. Conferences and Public Programs: Help organize and support our upcoming conference on urban and rural Chinatowns
  3. Education: Research and develop curriculum on topics related to Asian American history for K-12 students (In-person, central Virginia area preferred)
  4. Literature and Arts Corner: Build resources that encourage discussion of Asian American art, literature, and film
  5. Historic Preservation and Community Engagement: Assist with initiatives to preserve the history of D.C. Chinatown and engage with local community members
  6. Social Media: Strategize and implement methods for engaging public audiences through 1882 Foundation’s online presence on social media (Instagram, Facebook, etc.)
  7. Web Design and Online Archive: Create a system to organize our digital collection of stories about Asian American experiences on our website. Proficiency with WordPress is desired but not required. 

Since the 1882 Foundation is a primarily volunteer-run nonprofit, we cannot offer monetary compensation at this time. This position is unpaid, but we encourage students to seek funding through their university or third parties. The 1882 Foundation is also dedicated to helping interns secure course credit through their university. 

How To Apply

Application Materials include:

(1) A writing sample that best demonstrates your research and analytical skills. 5-page maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font is preferred. (2) Resume. (3) Cover letter, outlining what areas of our work most interest you.

Please email fill out the following Google Form to apply: https://forms.gle/8zusbH35YtKx1p6E8

The application portal will close on March 18, 2025 at 11:59 pm. Decisions will be made on April 9, 2025. 

We thank you for your interest in working with the 1882 Foundation!