The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is investing in the next generation of scholars and professionals through the recently established Indo-Pacific Affairs Internship (IPAI) program. Launched in 2023, this program provides funding to UH Mānoa students to enable them to gain valuable professional experience through internships with government and non-profit organizations such as Pacific Forum, Pacific and Asian Affairs Council, the Department of the Interior, the Pacific Islands Development Program, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, and the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.
Although there is increasing recognition that internships are valuable for students’ professional development, financial barriers make it impossible for some students to participate, since many internships are unpaid. To help address this gap, the Indo-Pacific Affairs Internship program offers $4,000 summer stipends made possible by Congressional funding secured with the support of US Senator Mazie Hirono as part of the broader UH Mānoa Indo-Pacific Affairs Initiative.
Through the IPAI program, students can engage with crucial regional issues without leaving Hawai‘i. Kristi Govella, Director of the Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs, commented, “This internship program takes advantage of Hawai‘i’s position at the heart of the Indo-Pacific to bring transformative professional experiences to our students. Thanks to our internship partners and the support of federal funding, we are facilitating access to new opportunities and ensuring that they are genuinely accessible, fostering a richer, more inclusive community of future leaders.”
Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders
Since its launch, the IPAI program has swiftly established a benchmark for excellence. 13 students have received IPAI award stipends so far, with the inaugural cohort embodying the transformative power of these internships. Participants in the program have been selected from undergraduate and graduate programs across the UH Mānoa campus, including the humanities, social sciences, business, and law.
In terms of professional development, these internships embed UH Mānoa students in workplaces so they can experience real-world issues first-hand. Communications graduate student Justine Kuna Sison worked with Honolulu-based think tank Pacific Forum, which allowed her to put her degree to use by crafting communications related to regional affairs. She commented, “This hands-on experience allowed me to apply theoretical knowledge from my academic background with practical skills to enhance my ability to convey complex ideas.”
For several recipients, their internship experiences helped them to envision ways to contribute to their communities at home. Artinlee Masiuriulmal, an undergraduate student pursuing a B.B.A in Entrepreneurship, worked with the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. He reflected, “The IPAI experience not only opened doors but also empowered me to shape my career path and deepen my community commitment.” Economics undergraduate student Rita Mae Keller had a similar experience working with the Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs, saying, “I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to learn more about what I want to do in the future and how I can better the lives of my own people.”
The 2023 IPAI participants all agreed that funding from the program played an essential role in enabling them to devote their summer to professional development. “The financial and experiential support from IPAI was pivotal,” said Asian Studies graduate student Peter Bennett. His summer internship at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies gave him the chance to engage with scholars and practitioners from around the region.
Summer 2024 Recipients
For Summer 2024, a new cohort of seven students from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has been selected to receive funding through the Indo-Pacific Affairs Internship Program. Two students are working with local non-profit organizations. Kayla Anandia (B.A. student, Political Science, Peace and Conflict Resolution) will be interning at the Pacific Forum, a non-profit foreign policy research institute. Bars Terra Williams (B.A. student, English, Pacific Islands Studies) is working with the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center to support the Festival of Pacific Arts & Cultures (FestPAC).
Other students are engaging with government agencies on a wide range of social, political, economic, and cultural topics. Haleigh Dilks (B.A. student, Political Science) and Jeanine Markley (M.A. student, Second Language Studies) are interning with the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, a US Department of Defense institute that provides executive education and workshops for military and civilian representatives of the US and Asia-Pacific nations. Constancio Paranal III (L.L.M and Ph.D. student, Information Science) is interning with the Federal Executive Board to support its involvement with the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders’ Regional Network of federal agencies. Tess Schwalger (M.A. student, History) is working at the US Indo-Pacific Command headquarters, and Adelina Jasmine Saree Reyes Wichep (B.A. student, Political Science) will work with the Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs.
These internships serve not only as stepping stones in the students’ professional journeys but also as platforms to engage with pivotal regional issues, nurturing the next generation of leaders in the Indo-Pacific.
The IPAI program is a collaborative initiative organized by the UH Mānoa, Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs, the School of Pacific and Asian Studies, the Center for Pacific Islands Studies, and the College of Social Sciences Internship Program. For more information, please visit https://manoa.hawaii.edu/indopacificaffairs/indo-pacific-affairs-internship-program/.