Scholarships & Grants

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International Leadership Foundation Announces 2008 Civic Fellowships in Washington DC for Asian Pacific American College Students

For the ninth year, the International Leadership Foundation (ILF) will award up to 30 internships to help Asian Pacific American college students who will be future arts, business, community, legal, medical or professional leaders better understand the workings of American government. Each ILF Fellow spends eight weeks during the summer working for a federal government agency in Washington, DC.

"The vision of the International Leadership Foundation to recognize the importance of offering leadership opportunities to young Asian Americans is truly laudatory," said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao at the ILF's Annual Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C.

Any undergraduate student with at least a 3.0 Grade Point Average at a college, junior college, or university is eligible to apply. Applicants must be United States citizens. Interested students can get the application form and more information from the ILF's website at www.ILEADER.org, or call (202) 531-5031. Applications must be received by February 1, 2008. Students interested in working at the State Department need to submit their applications by January 4, 2008.

Each ILF Fellow receives a $1,500 scholarship, funded by the ILF and its sponsors. The ILF works with government agencies to place each Fellow in his or her area of interest. Students must pay for their own travel, housing and living expenses during their internships.

"The ILF promotes public service, involvement, and effectiveness of Asian Pacific Americans," said ILF President Derek Chen. "Our purpose is to teach our future leaders how to use the government to serve the community." ILF Fellows attend weekly seminars and other events to learn about government, in addition to their internships.

The ILF is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that advocates civic awareness and community growth. The ILF also recognizes public service by Asian Pacific American community leaders each year at its annual Awards Dinner. Former Secretary of Commerce and Transportation Norman Y. Mineta is the ILF's honorary National Chairman. In 2007, Silicon Valley pioneer Kanwal Rekhi and renowned AIDs researcher Dr. David Ho were the ILF's two most recent Lifetime Achievement Award recipients.

The Emerging Business Leaders Summit for College Students (Deadline June 15th)

MBDA, in collaboration with other federal agencies, private sector partners and non-governmental organizations sponsors the National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week 2006 Conference and the Emerging Business Leaders Summit (EBLS). In its 24th year, National MED Week is the largest federally sponsored event for minority businesses held in our Nation's Capital. MED Week, designated by Proclamation of the President of the United States since 1983, recognizes and promotes the achievements of the Nation's minority-owned business enterprises and their supporters.

EBLS addresses the need for students to consider entrepreneurship as a career option. Scores of African American, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American students are graduating from business schools across the Nation. Many of these students are completing their undergraduate and graduate programs with the skills necessary to address the economic needs of their communities and the Nation. However, many students have not considered the possibility of entrepreneurship.

The purpose of the Summit is to expose students to the challenges and opportunities of entrepreneurship. Workshop topics will focus on Networking, Financing, Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Technology Transfer and Commercialization. This year, consistent with the MED Week 2006 theme: Minority Business Enterprises: Mastering the Supply Chain, we will add a workshop on the supply chain. In addition to exciting workshops, the selected students will be fully integrated into the 24th Annual National MED Week 2006 Conference with a full conference package that includes travel, meals, and hotel accommodations for the period of August 28 - September 2, 2006. One of the most exciting features of EBLS is the student Business Plan Competition. In this highly charged competition, students will be selected to present their business plans to well-qualified judges who will select the winners. Another exciting feature of the Conference is that every student will be assigned an EBLS Regional Coordinator and an adult mentor for the conference. EBLS and National MED Week 2006 will be held at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit the official website for National MED at www.medweek.gov.

Chiling Tong
Associate Director
Minority Business Development Agency
US Department of Commerce
******************************************************************
The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), established under the U.S. Department of Commerce in 1969, is the only federal agency created specifically to foster the establishment and growth of minority-owned businesses in America. MBDA is an entrepreneurially focused and innovative organization committed to wealth creation in minority communities. The Agency's mission is to actively promote the growth and competitiveness of large, medium and small minority business enterprises (MBEs). MBDA actively coordinates and leverages public and private sector resources that facilitate strategic alliances in support of its mission. Invaluable information to assist the minority business community is contained on MBDA's website.

"Message from Chiling Tong, Associate Director, Minority Business Development Agency, US Department of Commerce"

The Minority Business Development Agency in partnership with West Virginia High Technology Consortium Foundation accepting students for the 2006 Emerging Minority Business Leaders (EMBL) program. The EMBL Program provides minority students business training, career information and business development resources to prepare students for entrepreneurial and technology management careers. Please find attached flyer for your information. Thanks.

SAVE THE DATE!!!

When: June 11 - 23, 2006
Where: West Liberty State College
Website: http://www.htfwo.org/embl

EMBL’S OBJECTIVES:

• STIMULATE STUDENT INTEREST IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT.
• PROVIDE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT INFORMATION AND NETWORKING RESOURCES FOR MINORITY YOUTH.
• DEVELOP STUDENT PROFESSIONAL AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS TO SUCCEED IN THE NEW ECONOMY.
• PROMOTE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF MINORITY YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION.

LEARN ABOUT ENTREPRENEURSHIP!

EMBL Summer Institute - Are you interested in learning how to commercialize technologies for the marketplace? In the beautiful hills of West Virginia, is an opportunity for you to learn how to create a future that you can own. With admission into the Institute, which will be held at West Liberty State College, students will receive a scholarship, room, board and 3 graduate credits.

Your Key to the Future!

This initiative has been developed through a partnership between the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) and the West Virginia High Technology Consortium (WVHTC) Foundation. The partnership seeks to develop a diverse pool of young entrepreneurs who aspire to work in the field of technology commercialization and enhance the nation’s competitiveness. EMBL offers a variety of services, educational programs, career information and business development resources for minority students.

THE WHITE HOUSE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

The White House Internship Program offers an excellent opportunity to explore public service. The White House is seeking exceptional candidates to apply for this highly competitive program. In addition to normal office duties, interns attend weekly lectures, tours, and complete an intern service project. Interns may serve a term in the Fall, Spring or Summer. All candidates must be at least 18 years of age, hold United States citizenship, and be enrolled in a college or university.

Explore our White House Intern Website for additional information at http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/wh-intern.html. To apply, read and complete the White House Intern Application. A strong application includes the following:

· sound academic credentials
· history of community involvement and leadership
· solid verbal/written communication skills
· demonstrated interest in public service

Completed application materials must be submitted to Karen Race, Deputy Director and Intern Coordinator in the office of White House Personnel, at intern_application@whitehouse.gov prior to the following deadlines:
Applications due October 18, 2005 for Spring 2006 term - (January 10 to May 12, 2006)
Applications due March 7, 2006 for Summer 2006 term - (May 23 to August 25, 2006)

If you have questions or concerns, contact Karen by phone, (202) 456-2310 or by e-mail, intern_application@whitehouse.gov.

F E L L O W S H I P S, S C H O L A R S H I P S, A N D P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T

The EWC offers a wide variety of short-term and long-term programs for students, researchers, educators, policy makers, journalists, and professionals. Programs that are currently accepting applications are listed below. A complete list of programs can be found at:

United States-South Pacific Islands Scholarship Program
Application Deadline: February 1, 2006
http://www.eastwestcenter.org/events-ce-detail.asp?conf_ID=506

Fall 2006 Jefferson Fellowships
for Asia Pacific and U.S. Journalists
Honolulu, Hawaii; Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai, India; Islamabad, Pakistan
February 5 - 26, 2006
Application Deadline: Oct. 26, 2005
http://www.eastwestcenter.org/events-ce-detail.asp?conf_ID=784

The 2005 OCA Scholarship Applications are available online at www.ocanatl.org.

The deadline has been extended to APRIL 18, 2005.

All applications must be postmarked by that date.

Scholarships and financial aid are critical in helping students attain a college education. Depending on funding, OCA typically provides up to 60-$2000 scholarships for each academic year. This year's scholarships include:

OCA AVON Scholarship - focuses on financially disadvantaged APA women who will be attending their first year in college
OCA UPS Gold Mountain Scholarship - focuses on financially disadvantaged APAs who are the first in their family to attend college
OCA Verizon Scholarship - focuses on financially disadvantaged APA high school seniors
OCA AXA Achievement Scholarship - focuses on academic achievement

Please forward this announcement to your family and friends and extended networks. If you have additional questions, please Keith at oca@ocanatl.org or call 202-223-5500 or Johnson Choi at (808) 222-8183

OCA’s program is largest internship program for APIA college students in Washington, D.C. and it is the oldest program. We have produced many interns who have continued their careers in the public sector or at least have remained active within the APIA community.

The OCA Summer Internship Program recruits approximately 24 undergraduate or graduate students from an applicant pool of over 200 applications. Decisions are often based on complete, written applications, and interviews are not necessarily given. The position compensates $2000 for 10 weeks of full time work and, based on available funding. In addition, OCA sets aside $500 for each intern’s travel expenses to the OCA Convention, held in Boston this year. OCA also assists interns in finding affordable and local housing resources for out-of-town interns’ transitions into the Washington, DC area.

Last year, OCA recruited 20 interns to participate in the Summer Internship Program. Their placements include: Capitol Hill offices of Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. (IL), Representative Nancy Pelosi (CA), Representative Susan Davis (CA) and Representative Diane Watson (CA); the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies; Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; Department of Commerce; U.S. Commission on Civil Rights; Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; Health and Human Services; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; National Education Association; and within the OCA National Office.

In addition to the interns’ placements, OCA’s Summer Internship Program provides unique supplementary experiences, incorporating the Brown Bag Luncheon Series (the Brown Bag Luncheon Series is coordinated by OCA with the help of the various national APA organizations. Weekly sessions address issues commonly focused on), leadership training, Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL) events, visits with Hill staffers and federal agency workers, meetings with Senators and Representatives, OCA Convention planning, and staff and other meetings.

Some of the projects that our 2003 summer intern class completed as a group include the creation and production of the OCA 30th Anniversary video and the summer intern class of 2003 PowerPoint presentation; White Papers on affirmative action, HR 333 (AAPI Serving Institutions), hate crimes, post 911 civil liberties and the USA Patriot Act, immigration, election reform, and Proposition 54; writing and editing articles for OCA’s quarterly publication, Image; and writing letters in response to issues such as hate crimes and HR 333.

Applications: Postmarked by March 15
Offers: Announced by 1st week of May
Acceptance Deadline: Received by 2nd week of May

Requirements
(1) Undergraduate or graduate student
(2) Demonstrated interest in public affairs
(3) Oral and written communication skills
(4) Commitment to work for a minimum of 10 weeks (Internship term start and end dates are flexible and may work around intern’s schedule.)

Application - Please see our Internship Program section of our website (www.ocanatl.org) for an application.

Special thanks to this program’s past sponsors including PepsiCo, Ford Motor Company, OCA chapters, the FF Fraternity, and special trust funds of Mary Anne & Paul Yu Internship Fund and the Ken & Karen Lee Foundation.

Organization of Chinese Americans, oca@ocanatl.org for any additional questions, please contact Keith M. at 202-223-5500.

OCA ANNOUNCES KFC ESSAY CONTEST

The Organization of Chinese Americans, a national civil rights organization with over 80 chapters and affiliates across the country, is pleased to announce that applications are being accepted for the OCA-KFC National Essay Contest. Three winners will be selected by a national committee. With sponsorship from KFC, this year’s awards are: $1000 for first place, $500 for second place, and $300 for third place.

Deadline: All materials must be postmarked on or before April 11, 2005. All Asian Pacific American students between the grades 9-12 are eligible.

Essay Question: “Your United States Senator has asked you to suggest to him/her an idea for a bill pertaining to Asian Americans and civil rights. What would you like to propose to your Senator and why?”

Application: Applications may also be found online at www.ocanatl.org

Please complete and submit the application form.

Submit essay in English, typed, double-spaced, approximately 800 to 1,000 words on 8 1/2" x 11" white paper.
Send 5 copies. Please place name, address, and phone number on all pages. Photocopied applications are accepted.
OCA recommends that the student keep a copy of the application for his or her records. Please address your envelope to:

OCA-KFC 2005 Essay Contest
1001 Connecticut Avenue, NW #601
Washington, DC 20036
Telephone: 202-223-5500
oca@ocanatl.org

Judging Criteria:
Theme and Content 50% - relevance and insight into the essay topic, validity of ideas, and thoroughness of presentation
Organization and Development 20% - clear and logical development of essay
Grammar and Mechanics 20% Style 10% - effectiveness and flow of writing.
About KFC Corporation: Based in Louisville, Kentucky, KFC is the world's most popular chicken restaurant chain, specializing in Original Recipe®, Extra Crispy™, Twister® and Colonel's Crispy Strips® chicken with homestyle sides. KFC has more than 11,000 restaurants in more than 80 countries and territories around the world. For more information on KFC Corporation, please visit www.kfc.com

For more information on the essay contest and application, interested students may go to OCA’s website at www.ocanatl.org

OCA CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR

2005 OCA SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS

Washington, DC – The Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA) is opening the 2005 OCA Scholarship Program with applications now available online. Scholarships and financial aid are critical in helping students attain a college education. Depending on funding, OCA typically provides up to 60-$2000 scholarships for each academic year.

"OCA is dedicated to education in the APA community," commented OCA National President Ginny Gong. "We recognize the need to provide opportunities to Asian Pacific American students who do not have access to the financial resources necessary to pursue higher education."

OCA has awarded over 1600 scholarships to financially disadvantaged students through its various scholarship programs.

"Education has always been a high priority in the Asian Pacific American community." noted Christine Chen, OCA Executive Director. "Although the average level of education for APAs is high, the statistics are misleading. Although there are many members of our community who have advanced degrees, there are countless APAs who are unable to attend college because of financial difficulties. Through our many scholarships, OCA is committed to granting deserving APA students a chance they otherwise would not get."

For more information on OCA’s scholarship programs and an application, students may go to OCA’s website at www.ocanatl.org. The deadline for applying to the 2005 OCA Scholarship Programs is April 11, 2005

*OCA SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Important Dates
Applications: Postmarked by March 15
Offers: Announced by 1st week of May
Acceptance Deadline: Received by 2nd week of May

Requirements:
1. Undergraduate or graduate student
2. Demonstrated interest in public affairs
3. Oral and written communication skills
4. Commitment to work for a minimum of 10 weeks (Internship term start and end dates are flexible and may work around intern’s schedule.)

About the Program
OCA’s program is largest internship program for APIA college students in Washington, D.C. and it is the oldest program. We have produced many interns who have continued their careers in the public sector or at least have remained active within the APIA community.

The OCA Summer Internship Program recruits approximately 24 undergraduate or graduate students from an applicant pool of over 200 applications. Decisions are often based on complete, written applications, and interviews are not necessarily given. The position
compensates $2000 for 10 weeks of full time work and, based on available funding. In addition, OCA sets aside $500 for each intern’s travel expenses to the OCA Convention, held in Boston this year. OCA also assists interns in finding affordable and local housing resources for out-of-town interns’ transitions into the Washington, DC area.

Last year, OCA recruited 20 interns to participate in the Summer Internship Program. Their placements include: Capitol Hill offices of Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. (IL), Representative Nancy Pelosi (CA), Representative Susan Davis (CA) and Representative Diane Watson (CA); the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies; Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; Department of Commerce; U.S. Commission on Civil Rights; Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; Health and Human Services; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; National Education Association; and within the OCA National Office.

In addition to the interns’ placements, OCA’s Summer Internship Program provides unique supplementary experiences, incorporating the Brown Bag Luncheon Series (the Brown Bag Luncheon Series is coordinated by OCA with the help of the various national APA organizations. Weekly sessions address issues commonly focused on), leadership training,
Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL) events, visits with Hill staffers and federal agency workers, meetings with Senators and Representatives, OCA Convention planning, and staff and other meetings.

Some of the projects that our 2003 summer intern class completed as a group include the creation and production of the OCA 30th Anniversary video and the summer intern class of 2003 PowerPoint presentation; White Papers on affirmative action, HR 333 (AAPI Serving Institutions), hate crimes, post 911 civil liberties and the USA Patriot Act, immigration, election reform, and Proposition 54; writing and editing articles for OCA’s quarterly publication, Image; and writing letters in response to issues such as hate crimes and HR 333.

Application:

Please see our Internship Program section of our website www.ocanatl.org for an application.

Special thanks to this program’s past sponsors including PepsiCo., Ford Motor Company, OCA chapters, the FF Fraternity, and special trust funds of Mary Anne & Paul Yu Internship Fund and the Ken & Karen Lee Foundation.

Organization of Chinese Americans
1001 Connecticut Ave., NW #601, Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 202-223-5500 Fax: 202-296-0540
Web: http://www.ocanatl.org
E-mail: oca@ocanatl.org

*OCA CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2004 OCA-AVON FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Washington, DC - The Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA) is teaming up with the Avon Foundation to introduce the 2004 OCA-Avon Foundation Scholarship Program. Fifteen scholarships of $2,000 each will be awarded to Asian Pacific American (APA) women who will be entering their first year of college.

Within the last eight years, OCA has awarded over 1300 scholarships to financially disadvantaged students through its various scholarship programs. Scholarships and financial aid are critical in helping students from lower income families attain a college education.

"OCA and the Avon Foundation are dedicated to education in the APA community," commented OCA National President Raymond Wong. "The Avon Foundation recognizes the need to provide opportunities to APA students who do not have access to the financial resources necessary to pursue higher education."

The APA population is nearly 12 million with a poverty rate of 12.6 percent, compared with 9 percent for non-Hispanic Whites in 1999,
according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Although APAs are often made victims of the model minority myth, and thus lack access to additional financial resources to pay for college, most APAs do not fit into the highly educated and wealthy category dictated by this stereotype. The scholarship will provide opportunities to APA students who wish to pursue higher education while facing financial difficulties.

"Education has always been a high priority in the Asian Pacific American community." noted Christine Chen, OCA Executive Director.
"Although the average level of education for APAs is high, the statistics are misleading. Although there are many members of our
community who have advanced degrees, there are countless APAs who are unable to attend college because of financial difficulties. Through our many scholarships - including the OCA-Avon Foundation Scholarship - OCA is committed to granting deserving APA students a chance they otherwise would not get."

Since 1955, the Avon Foundation (www.avoncompany.com/women) has shown its commitment to women through an expanding network of life enhancing programs that promote economic empowerment for women. The Avon Foundation's economic empowerment program supports organizations that offer women the ability to acquire the skills and support they need to become economically secure, such as job training and readiness, women's shelters, scholarships and professional development. The Avon Foundation is the largest corporate women's foundation. In almost 50 years, the Avon Foundation has contributed more than $100 million and funded over 11,000 grants and scholarships that benefit the economic empowerment of women.

For more information on OCA's scholarship programs and an application, students may go to OCA's website at www.ocanatl.org. The deadline for applying to the 2004 OCA-Avon Foundation Scholarship Program is May 1, 2004.

OCA/STATE FARM APIA U: LEADERSHIP 101
Asian/Pacific Islander American College Leadership Training
American College Student

Location: University of Hawaii at Manoa - February 21 - 22, 2004
Cost: FREE

Knowing that cultural influences impact how one leads, our mission is to provide Asian/Pacific Islander American student leaders and activists a unique training which keeps in mind the viewpoints and experiences of APIAs and students of color. The program focuses on the development of leadership and organizational skills that are relevant to APIA campuses and communities.

What is APIA U: LEADERSHIP 101? The interactive college leadership training program will involve hands-on exercises, small group discussions, and presentations led by two qualified APIA facilitators. The 1.5 day training will assemble 60 students from each region to focus on self-awareness, team-building, and direct action organizing. Participants will be asked to challenge themselves, share their experiences, and develop leadership tools in order to effectively serve as catalysts for change.

To register online, please go to OCA's website at www.ocanatl.org, click on Program at top, then APIA U: Leadership 101 on the left. Be sure to mail in your $15 deposit to reserve your spot at the training. The check will be returned to you on Sunday when you have completed the training. Please make check payable to OCA National Headquarters and mail to:

Contact Us:
Van-Nghi Tran
Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA)*
1001 Connecticut Avenue NW #601
Washington, DC 20036
202-223-5500
202-296-0540 FAX
vtran@ocanatl.org

Chaminade University announces the Hogan/Bank of Hawaii Nonprofit Business Plan Competition – the first of its kind in Hawaii!

(Statement of Intent Deadline – Feb 15, 2004)

The Hogan Entrepreneurial Program, established in the fall of 2002 at Chaminade University is proud to announce the Hogan/Bank of Hawaii Nonprofit Business Plan Competition.

The Competition is the first of its kind in Hawaii. The Hogan Entrepreneurs have teamed with 3POINT, an innovative public services consulting firm, to provide incentives for social entrepreneurs to make their new venture ideas a reality.

By offering substantial financial and technical assistance, the Competition should appeal to new nonprofit organizations, or existing nonprofits with plans for new social service programs or new for-profit subsidiaries.

Participants must submit a Statement of Intent by February 15 and follow with detailed Business Plans by March 15. The number of applicants will be narrowed to a small set of Finalists who will make oral presentations to a panel of judges comprised of senior executives, consultants, members of venture capital firms and executives of leading nonprofit organizations.

The First Place winner will receive $15,000 cash and 40 hours of free technical assistance. The Second Place winner will be awarded $10,000 cash and 30 hours of free technical assistance, and the Third Place winner will get $5,000 cash and 20 hours of free technical assistance.

Winners will be recognized at an Awards Ceremony in May, which will be open to the public.

The Hogan Entrepreneurial Program at Chaminade was started thanks to a generous contribution from the Hogan Family Foundation to equip Chaminade graduates with the tools, skills and values needed to "start and do new things."

Contact: John Webster 808-739-4767 jwebstyer@chaminade.edu

Interested Competition applicants can contact Ann Lujan 739-4673 alujan@chaminade.edu for additional information and an entry packet.

Johnson W. K. Choi, Advisory Board Member - The Hogan Entrepreneurial Program, Chaminade University of Honolulu

OCA SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Important Dates:
Applications: Postmarked by March 15, 2004
Offers: Announced by 1st week of May 2004
Acceptance Deadline: Received by 2nd week of May 2004

Requirements:
- Undergraduate or graduate student
- Demonstrated interest in public affairs
- Oral and written communication skills
- Commitment to work for a minimum of 10 weeks (Internship term start and end dates are flexible and may work around intern’s schedule.)

About the Program:
OCA’s program is largest internship program for APIA college students in Washington, D.C. and it is the oldest program. We have produced many interns who have continued their careers in the public sector or who have remained active within the APIA community.

The OCA Summer Internship Program recruits approximately 24 undergraduate or graduate students from an applicant pool of over 200 applications. Decisions are often based on complete, written applications, and interviews are not necessarily given. The position
compensates $2000 for 10 weeks of full time work and, based on available funding. In addition, OCA sets aside funds for each intern’s travel expenses to the OCA Convention, held in Boston this year. OCA also assists interns in finding affordable and local housing resources for out-of-town interns’ transitions into the Washington, DC area.

Last year, OCA recruited 20 interns to participate in the Summer Internship Program. Their placements include: Capitol Hill offices of Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. (IL), Representative Nancy Pelosi (CA), Representative Susan Davis (CA) and Representative Diane Watson (CA); the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies; Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; Department of Commerce; U.S. Commission on Civil Rights; Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; Health and Human Services; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; National Education Association; and within the OCA National Office.

In addition to the interns’ placements, OCA’s Summer Internship Program provides unique supplementary experiences, incorporating the Brown Bag Luncheon Series (the Brown Bag Luncheon Series is coordinated by OCA with the help of the various national APA organizations. Weekly sessions address issues commonly focused on), leadership training,
Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL) events, visits with Hill staffers and federal agency workers, meetings with Senators and Representatives, OCA Convention planning, and staff and other meetings.

Some of the projects that our 2003 summer intern class completed as a group include the creation and production of the OCA 30th Anniversary video and the summer intern class of 2003 PowerPoint presentation; White Papers on affirmative action, HR 333 (AAPI Serving Institutions), hate crimes, post 911 civil liberties and the USA Patriot Act, immigration, election reform, and Proposition 54; writing and editing articles for OCA’s quarterly publication, Image; and writing letters in response to issues such as hate crimes and HR 333.

Application: Please see OCA Internship Program section www.ocanatl.org for an application.

Special thanks to this program’s past sponsors including PepsiCo, Ford Motor Company, OCA chapters, the FF Fraternity, and special trust funds of Maryanne Yu Internship Fund and the Ken & Karen Lee Foundation.

Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA)
oca@ocanatl.org
202-223-5500

For nomination materials and/or further information, contact:
Catherine Domaoan, Director of Outreach
866-274-4677 x2 (toll-free), gmspinfo@ocanatl.org

GATES MILLENNIUM SCHOLARSHIP (GMS) - APPLY ONLINE

Washington, DC - The Gates Millennium Scholars program is pleased to announce the launching of its website for the 2004 - 2005 GMS awards. Apply online or download nomination materials from www.gmsp.org. General information, detailed instructions, and current scholar profiles can also be found on the website. Principals, teachers, guidance counselors, tribal higher education representatives, and other professional educators are invited to nominate students with outstanding academic records, strong leadership potential, and commitment to community service. Nominators and recommenders must act in their personal capacity. Institutional nominations will not be accepted. All completed nomination materials must be postmarked or submitted online no later than January 16, 2004.

The Gates Millennium Scholars program was established in 1999 through a grant provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to provide Asian Pacific Islander Americans, African Americans, American Indians/Alaska Natives, and Hispanic Americans with an opportunity to complete a college education. The goal of GMS is to promote academic excellence and to provide an opportunity for thousands of outstanding students with significant financial need, particularly those intending to study mathematics, science, engineering, education or library science, to reach their fullest potential. Additionally, GMS provides opportunities for Scholars to prepare for leadership roles in their profession and communities through a leadership development program. GMS selected 1,000 high-achieving students for the 2003-2004 academic year, bringing the total number of students awarded GMS scholarships to more than 7,000 since the program's inception.

The United Negro College Fund (UNCF), with the support of the Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA), the American Indian Graduate Center Scholars (AIGCS), and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF), administers the Gates Millennium Scholars program.

Eligibility Criteria
In the 2004-2005 academic year, individuals are eligible to be considered for a Gates
Millennium Scholarship if they:
* are Asian Pacific Islander American, African American, Hispanic American or American Indian/Alaska Native;
* are a citizen, legal permanent resident or national of the United States;
* have a minimum GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale;
* will be entering a U.S. accredited college or university as full-time, degree-seeking freshmen in the academic year 2004-2005;
* have demonstrated leadership commitment through participation in community service, extracurricular, or other activities that reflect leadership abilities; and
* meet the Federal Pell Grant eligibility criteria. Eligibility for Federal Pell Grant can only be determined though the submission of a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid Programs.

APIA ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Advocate Initiatives for Grassroots Access
Asian and Pacific Americans in Higher Education
Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies
Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs Committee on Education
Japanese American Citizens League
Korean American Coalition
Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, Inc.
National Association for the Education & Advancement of Cambodian, Laotian & Vietnamese
Americans
National Federation of Filipino American Associations
National Korean American Service & Education Consortium
Native Hawaiian Community Based Education Learning Centers
Network of South Asian Professionals - DC Foundation
Organization of Chinese American Women
Pacific American Education and Scholastic Foundation
Pacific American Executive Council
Pacific American Foundation
Southeast Asia Resource Action Center

Organization of Chinese Americans
1001 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite 601, Washington, D.C. 2003 Tel (202) 530-8894 Fax
(202) 530-0643
Internet: http://www.ocanatl.org/ Email: gmsp@ocanatl.org

OCA CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2003 OCA/YUM! BRANDS NATIONAL ESSAY CONTEST

The Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA), a national Asian Pacific American (APA) civil rights advocacy and educational group with over 85 chapters and affiliates nationwide, is pleased to announce that it is accepting applications for its nationally recognized essay contest, sponsored by Yum! Brands. “This contest is aimed at encouraging APA high school students to visualize what role they see themselves playing as emerging leaders within the community,” states Raymond Wong, OCA National President. This year's essay topic is “As a leader, what is your vision for building unity within the Asian Pacific American community and how will you play a role?” By submitting ideas that bring relevance and insight into the essay topic, students are provided the opportunity to win $1000 for first place, $500 for second place, and $300 for third place. “It is an honor for OCA to sponsor an essay contest that helps educate and inspire youths to be more aware and active in the APA community,” states Jean Chang, OCA Vice President of Education and Cultural Affairs. “This will give students an opportunity to present their ideas in a manner that reflects how they view unity.” Students' essays will be judged according to a four-part criterion. The largest percentage will be based on the theme and content of the essay, which will include thoroughness of presentation, validity of ideas, and significance to the topic. Other criteria include the organization, development, grammar, mechanics, and style of the essays. This year, OCA is pleased to work with the sponsorship from Yum! Brands to select the three winners. Yum! Brands, based in Louisville, Kentucky, is the world's largest restaurant company, with nearly 33,000 restaurants in more than 300 countries and territories, including KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and Long John Silver's. For more information on the essay contest and application, interested students may go to OCA's website at www.ocanatl.org The deadline for applying to the 2003 national essay contest is May 1, 2003.Contact: Eleanor Lee 202-223-5500

The Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA) and State Farm Insurance Companies® will hold the 4th annual series of Asian Pacific American college leadership trainings for student organizers-APIA U: Leadership 101. This year 12 regional conferences are being organized in major cities across the nation: Columbus, OH, Minneapolis, MN, Amherst, MA, Los Angeles, CA, Tucson, AZ, New York, NY, Washington, D.C., Seattle, WA, Salt Lake City, UT, Moraga, CA, Bloomington-Normal, IL and Atlanta, GA.

The purpose of the 12 trainings is to provide Asian Pacific American students an environment to develop the skills to be an effective leader. OCA Director of Programs Van-Nghi Tran states, "We want to help the students integrate the tools to address cultural and societal influences, develop effective leadership and initiate positive change and activism on campus and in the community." Tran added, "This investment in our fresh-energy, innovative successors ensures that the voice of Asian Pacific Americans continues to grow strong."

Corporate Relations Manager of State Farm Insurance Companies® Kim Wong explained why the company is willing to fund the training conferences for the fourth consecutive year. "Leadership can take on many forms regardless of age, ethnicity, or position in life. Young people are the future of our nation. We are proud to partner with OCA in providing a tool for young Asian Pacific Americans to build their leadership skills."

OCA also hopes to develop regional bonds among students and campuses as well as Asian Pacific American leaders on college campuses across the country. In each training conference, 60 students can register to participate in this day and a half training. In order to achieve the goals of the training conferences, 2 facilitators are guiding groups of students through hands-on exercises, presentations and discussions building comprehension of the concepts. Tran added, "By bringing students together to share their experiences in this safe, supportive environment, they can begin to develop a broader shared vision enabling them to move forward as a powerfully positive force."

APIA U: Leadership 101 welcomes all Asian Pacific American students who are interested (experience or no experience) in leadership development, civil responsibility, involvement with APA student organizations and networking with other APA student activists. The training is absolutely free. A $15 deposit is required to secure your registration; checks will be returned at the end of the training. Breakfast, lunch and a night reception are provided. Students are responsible for their own transportation and accommodations.

To register online, please go to http://www.ocanatl.org

	The President's Student Service Awards are a White House initiative co-administered by YSA to recognize all youth volunteers ages 5-25 who perform between 50-100 hours of service in any 12 month period.
	The Good Neighbor Service-Learning Award presented by the State Farm Companies Foundation and YSA (Deadline - February 28, 2003)
	The State Farm Good Neighbor Service-Learning Award enables youth and educators to bring positive benefits of service-learning to more young people. This grant is for both young people ages 5-25 and teachers to implement service-learning projects for National Youth Service Day 2003, April 11-13th. Fifty grants of $500 each will be available to young people and fifty grants of $1,500 will be available to teachers (to engage classes). To apply, simply follow the application guidelines in the link above and submit a complete application to Ms. Toyasha Albert, Youth Service America grants manager. If you have difficulty downloading the file in its entirety above (4 pages), please click here to download the application in sections: part_1 part_2
	The Youth Service Action Fund (Deadline - February 28, 2003)
	Youth Service America and AT&T are proud to present the Youth Service Action Fund to help young people engage in community service on National Youth Service Day and beyond. The AT&T Cares Youth Service Action Fund is now available to youth (ages 5-25) and organizations to plan and implement service projects on National Youth Service Day 2003, April 11-13th. National Youth Service Day, the largest service event in the world, mobilizes youth to identify and address the needs of their communities through service, recruits the next generation of volunteers, and educates the public about the year-round contributions of young people as community leaders. Twenty-five grants of $500 will be available to youth and organizations. To apply simply follow the applications guidelines and submit a complete application by Feb. 28, 2003. Applications are available on-line here or at the link above. To learn more about these and other resources, please visit our website www.YSA.org/nysd or send an email to talbert@ysa.org for more information. If you have difficulty downloading the file in its entirety above (4 pages), please click here to download the application in sections: part_1 part_2
	*To view the grant applications you will need Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. If you don't already have Acrobat Reader installed on your computer, click here for the free download.

GATES MILLENNIUM SCHOLARSHIP NOMINATION MATERIALS NOW AVAILABLE

Washington, DC - Nomination Materials for the Gates Millennium Scholars program are now available for the 2003-2004 Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) awards. Principals, teachers, guidance counselors, tribal higher education representatives, and other professional educators are invited to nominate students with outstanding academic records, strong leadership potential and commitment to community service. Nominators must act in their personal capacity. Institutional nominations will not be accepted. All applications materials must be postmarked or submitted online no later than February 1, 2003.

The Gates Millennium Scholars program was established in 1999 through a grant provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to provide Asian Pacific Islander Americans, African Americans, American Indians/Alaska Natives, or Hispanic Americans with an opportunity to complete a college education. The goal of GMS is to promote academic excellence and to provide an opportunity for thousands of outstanding students with significant financial need, particularly those intending to study mathematics, science, engineering, education or library science, to reach their fullest potential. Additionally, GMS provides opportunities for Scholars to prepare for leadership roles in their profession and communities through a comprehensive leadership development program. GMS awarded scholarships to 1000 high-achieving students for the 2002-2003 academic year, bringing the total number of students awarded GMS scholarships to over 6,000.

The United Negro College Fund (UNCF), with the support of the American Indian Graduate Center Scholars (AIGCS), the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) and the Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA), administers the Gates Millennium Scholars program.

Eligibility Criteria - In the 2003-2004 academic year, individuals are eligible to be considered for a Gates Millennium Scholarship if they:
>are Asian Pacific Islander American, African American, Hispanic American or American Indian/Alaska Native;
>are a citizen, legal permanent resident or national of the United States;
>have a minimum GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale;
>will be entering a U.S. accredited college or university as full-time, degree-seeking freshmen in the academic year 2003-2004;
>have demonstrated leadership commitment through participation in community service, extracurricular, or other activities that reflect leadership abilities; and
>meet the Federal Pell Grant eligibility criteria. Eligibility for Federal Pell Grant can only be determined though the submission of a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid Programs.

To request Nomination Materials or for more information, please include your name and information and contact:
Neel Saxena, Outreach Coordinator, GMS/APIA
Email: gmspinfo@ocanatl.org
Phone: 202-530-8894 x2
Fax: 202-530-0643

Are you the creative type? Are you in the middle of producing a screenplay, video or TV script?

Interested in winning a $20,000 grant to help you finish your project? Read on...

This fall the Organization of Chinese Americans will be participating with ABC as they launch their third season of the Talent Development Scholarship and Grant Program with the aim of nurturing and supporting aspiring writers, directors and filmmakers from diverse backgrounds. The program is designed to assist high school and college students as well as members of non-profit arts institutions by providing support to assist their development of a new creative idea or the completion of an existing creative project.

ABC will distribute the financial support in the form of scholarships and/ or grants to help finance these creative efforts. Selected participants will be paired with a mentor. The program concludes with a 3-day workshop in Los Angeles at ABC Entertainment and the Walt Disney Studios. ABC will award the scholarships/grants through the participating high schools, colleges/universities, civic/social service, professional organizations, educational governing boards, etc.

The program is being extended to several areas including Minnesota, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, New York, Raleigh-Durham, Houston, and Chicago. ABC is to award the grants/scholarships through participating high schools, colleges/universities, civic/social service, professional organizations, educational governing boards, etc. Individuals, through their sponsoring organizations, will receive a grant of $20,000 to help finance the development of their projects.

These funds will be distributed in the form of scholarships and grants to help finance creative efforts. Selected participants will be paired with a mentor during the 12 month grant period. The program concludes with a 3-day workshop in Los Angeles at ABC Entertainment and Disney Studios.

If you are interested in submitting an entry, please download the following directions and forms at www.ocanalt.org DEADLINE: Postmarked by January 15, 2003