Internship and Volunteer Opportunities
Be a part of advocacy in Native Country by donating your time, skills and expertise to changing lives on the ground, preserving culture, and supporting strong Native Nations. Internships and volunteer opportunities with the Association are available for all levels of experience and at any time of the year.
Except for in-person event support, all internships and fellowships are virtual. Internships can be crafted to meet your school or college requirements.
Except for in-person event support, all internships and fellowships are virtual. Internships can be crafted to meet your school or college requirements.
How to Apply
To apply, please submit all three required items below to [email protected]
If you are interested in providing other in-kind services to the Association, let us know specifically what in-kind services you wish to provide by submitting your information by email to [email protected].
- Cover letter describing what skills you would like to bring to the Association, and how your skills and experience can support the Association's administrative, communications, programs or other areas of our non-profit work. Also include information regarding when you wish to begin and end, if there is an end date, and how many hours per week you have to volunteer or intern.
- Resume
- Writing Sample and other evidence of your skills and experience
If you are interested in providing other in-kind services to the Association, let us know specifically what in-kind services you wish to provide by submitting your information by email to [email protected].
Current Interns
Lila Bigalow is a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation and is a current high school sophomore in Los Angeles. She writes for her school newspaper, runs on the track team, and is a member of DECA. Lila says: "I am extremely excited and appreciative to have the opportunity of interning at the Association on American Indian Affairs. With this position, I hope to build upon my skills and interests, while uplifting a community that I appreciate and want to connect and learn more about. Through this position, I plan to show my dedication to the association and community, as well as hopefully leading to a new understanding.” |
Claire Lavarreda is a World History Ph.D. student at Northeastern University, focusing on Indigenous history, archives, memory, and material culture. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Eastern Connecticut State University in 2021, where she majored in History and Social Sciences and minored in Spanish. Her mixed heritage inspires her work, encouraging a blend of approaches, perspectives, and cultures. Claire says, "I am so excited to join the Association as an intern. The work being done to support youth, repatriation, and cultural preservation is very important, and I'm delighted to be able to contribute to this work. When you're in academia all the time, it can be easy to lose sight of the necessary and present-day work happening around you. As someone in the history field, I am especially interested in NAGPRA and repatriation in general and can't wait to intern with the Association on American Indian Affairs." |
Daniel Little is a student at the University of Virginia pursuing both his Juris Doctorate and a master's degree in legal history. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Utah Valley University in 2021, where he majored in Political Science with an emphasis in Public Law and Political Philosophy and minored in Constitutional Studies. His work in politics and refugee resettlement before law school has shaped his career interests in public service and the practice of federal Indian law and policy.
Daniel says, "I'm incredibly excited to be interning with the Association. As a law student, it is easy to become enamored with the intricacies of the law and therefore be oblivious to the real and human implications of legal decisions. I am grateful for the opportunity this internship provides to do legal research in an environment that puts people first and places the law in its proper role: a mere tool, but one that should be used to uplift and liberate all peoples, and not an end in and of itself." |
Hayley Keller is currently a senior at the University of Utah, studying Social Work with a focus on Indigenous social work. Following her bachelor's degree, Hayley plans to pursue a master's degree in social work shortly after graduation.
Hayley says, "I am incredibly appreciative of the opportunity to work as an intern at the Association on American Indian Affairs, and I am eager to apply my abilities and knowledge to support this important organization. My main goal is to learn more about Indigenous concerns and broaden my perspective by reading historical papers and case studies. I want to bring attention to the organization's efforts in addition to producing crucial data and resources. This internship is a unique chance for me to grow, learn, and make an important contribution, and I'm thrilled to help the Association on American Indian Affairs accomplish these objectives." |
Kailash Muthukumar is a current high school junior at Alpharetta High School in Georgia. Kailash competes in Policy Debate, plays soccer, does economics research while interning under professors, and is involved in the Future Business Leaders of America, among other interests.
Kailash says, "I am glad to intern at the Association on American Indian Affairs. I hope to bring about positive change for Native Nations while acquiring a broader perspective on Indigenous rights and policies to build on my diverse skill set to further help empower Native Peoples’ socioeconomic and geopolitical standing. I am eager to learn more about Native regional economies as well as the interaction between culture and sovereignty during my time as an intern." |
Andrea Rodenberg is a master's student in the Museum Studies Program at Johns Hopkins University. She holds bachelor's degrees in art history and archaeology. Her academic research and work in museums have shaped her interest in decolonization and issues impacting representation, ownership, and access to cultural heritage. Andrea says, "I am honored to be interning with the Association on American Indian Affairs, which is a leading organization in education and activism around protecting Native Cultural Sovereignty. I am excited to learn from and contribute to its mission, specifically the preservation of sacred sites and repatriation of Native cultural heritage. Additionally, I am interested in understanding how the revised NAGPRA regulations have impacted Native Nations and learning about repatriation methods outside of NAGPRA." |
Sky Ravenscroft is a citizen of the Osage Nation with a master’s degree in environmental governance and a bachelor’s in political science. He lives in Germany, where he is involved in research related to earth jurisprudence. He has professional experience working on research projects on clean energy, conflict resolution, Indigenous rights, and global politics. Sky aspires to refine himself as a writer and considers himself a forever student, always having open ears and wanting to learn from all perspectives.
Sky says: “Interning with the Association on American Indian Affairs allows me to be part of the organization’s century-old tradition of advocating for the rights of Native Peoples across North America. As a citizen of a Native Nation myself, who has had the privilege of studying and living abroad, in large part due to the financial support of the Osage Nation, I feel called to give back to the communities that have sown into me. The Association is an organization that I feel has the best interests of Native Nations in mind throughout all the work it does, and I am more than happy to be both an intern and member.” |
Samantha Chavez holds a bachelor’s degree in history from California State University, Dominguez Hills, where she developed a strong foundation in historical analysis and research. Her academic journey has been marked by a commitment to exploring themes of Native Nation sovereignty, land rights, and the enduring impact of colonial policies. Recently her research on the Doctrine of Discovery and its implications for Native land rights has been published in a undergraduate historical journal, reflecting her dedication to amplifying Native voices and preserving diverse Native histories.
She says: "I am excited to intern with the Association on American Indian Affairs, an organization at the forefront of protecting Native sovereignty. I hope to contribute important research related to land rights and the preservation of Native cultural heritage. This opportunity will enable me to support Native Nations in their pursuit of justice and self-determination." |
Macy Rose is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and a student at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, studying International Business. She plans to attend law school to continue her passion for advocating in Indigenous and Native Nations Law, as well as International Law. Macy resides between Honolulu, Hawai’i, and Santa Fe, New Mexico.
She says: "I am honored to have the opportunity to work with the Association. I look forward to learning from my coworkers and gaining knowledge in various topics the Association addresses. My goal is to contribute my experience and help others learn about the Association, Native Nations’ histories and contemporary realities, and how to support Native Nations. I hope to make a lasting impact on the Association and honor our Ancestors by preserving our diverse cultures." |
Julia Noriega is a recent graduate of Wesleyan University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology. She has a passion for museums which informs her desire to facilitate work that is reflexive and builds community. In her free time, Julia volunteers her sewing and tennis skills to Michigan based organizations.
She says: “I am proud to serve as an intern with the Association on American Indian Affairs. Through my work with museums and arts centers, I have sought to preserve culture and engage local and global communities. The Association provides a unique opportunity to continue this work. I am looking forward to contributing to ongoing international repatriation efforts and to a community dedicated to promoting sovereignty. My goal is that my work will shine a light on the necessity of repatriation and foster relationships.” |