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.
We have internship and volunteer and opportunities for the following:
- Administrative
- Public Affairs
- Video Editing
- Social media marketing
- Legal
- Accounting
- Research and writing within our program areas
- In-person event support
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." |
Tanner J. Gaoiran is a Filipino student and citizen of the Chickamauga Cherokee Sac and White River Bands, and is a senior at Oregon State University majoring in Biohealth Sciences with a focus on Biochemistry and Medical Humanities in his journey to medical school. Also allocated in clubs such as SACNAS, Minority Association of Pre-medical Students, Pre-Orthopedic Students and others. Tanner is passionate about integrating Traditional Knowledges with Western Science.
Tanner says, "As I continue my journey toward medical school, I am committed to bridging Traditional Knowledges with Western Science. Working on this project allows me to explore the profound connection between intergenerational trauma and physiological health, a topic deeply rooted in the experiences of my community. I believe that understanding these connections is not only vital for healing but also for creating a more inclusive and culturally informed healthcare system. This experience will be a cornerstone in my medical education, guiding me as I strive to become a physician who honors and integrates the wisdom of diverse traditions." |
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." |
Edith Fosseneuve is from the Long Plain First Nation in Manitoba, Canada, and is of Ojibwe descent. Edith is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work at Millersville University in Pennsylvania. Through this social work degree, she hopes to give back to the Native Country by providing education on the importance of mental health. Edith says: “I am extremely appreciative of the chance to apply my skills and knowledge to help aid the Association's research and celebrate its people and history. The opportunity to assist the Association in paying tribute to their origins inspires me. This internship is a positive opportunity to expand my knowledge, obtain experience, and significantly influence the organization. I hope to gain a profound appreciation for the work done and a deeper connection to the gaps in my ancestry through the work in this project.” |
Isha Ande is a current high school junior in Ellicott City, Maryland with an interest in public policy, law, and advocacy. Currently, Isha works in her county government in the Executive Office of Education and she also works with a local immigration attorney. At school, Isha has a love for public speaking as she participates in clubs such as Model United Nations, Mock Trial, and Future Business Leaders of America. In these clubs, she has flourished, winning awards on the local, state, and international level.
Isha says: "I am extremely excited and appreciative to be an intern at the Association on American Indian Affairs. As an intern, I hope to advocate strongly for the Native Nations and learn more about their diverse cultures. My main goal as an intern is to research and dive into the pressing food insecurity issue that is present in many Native Nations. I hope to read, collect data, and create resources for the general public to increase awareness of what is happening in Native Country and hopefully in turn, create change for the better." |