Asia Society Texas works with high school and university interns each semester through our Regions Bank Young Leaders Internship program. Under this program, we have partnered with various high schools and universities in the Greater Houston area to provide opportunities for students to engage with the broad swath of programs offered by Asia Society and learn more about nonprofit operations. Interns have worked in program development, research and curriculum-writing, outreach efforts, accounting and finance, and more. Through their time with Asia Society Texas, interns learn more about Asian art, history, and culture while gaining direct experience in a professional environment.

We'd like to shine a spotlight on one of our interns, Susan Ip, who helped with lesson plans in the Education and Outreach department!

Learn a little more about Susan and her internship experience below!

Quick Facts

Name: Susan Ip
School: University of Houston
Date of Internship: Spring 2024
Favorite project you’ve worked on during your internship: Designing lessons and materials for students about Chinese lion dance.
Most interesting thing you’ve learned during your internship: Discovering the impacts of Asia Society Texas on the Houston community and seeing people enjoying events held by the Center and embracing culture together.

Reflection

Working at the Education and Outreach department at Asia Society Texas gave me a chance to share and contribute my cultural knowledge about Asian cultures to the community. I designed classes and materials for middle and elementary school students about lion dances, which allowed my creativity and imagination to fly as I shared my passion to the community. Moreover, this experience also taught me about other Asian cultures I was unfamiliar with, such as traditional Mongolian calligraphy with National Committee on U.S.–China Relations fellow Buyanaa Sukhbaatar.

It's wonderful to know that so many people within the community and around the world have such passion and heart for Asian cultures; I especially love seeing people's faces light up when I meet people from different cultural backgrounds and listen to them share their experiences and cultural knowledge passionately, because I feel like at that moment, the love for culture and the passion of learning becomes our common language.

Furthermore, working at Asia Society Texas also gave me a "behind-the-scenes" experience: I got a sneak peek at how a nonprofit organization works and how to prepare for events. I am so impressed by everyone in the organization who tirelessly works together to make things happen. Though my internship with Asia Society Texas is relatively short, I have taken away many beautiful experiences and knowledge. I plan to continue my major in World Cultures and Literatures at the University of Houston to enhance and explore my knowledge of cultures. 

Business and Policy programs are endowed by Huffington Foundation. We give special thanks to Bank of America, Muffet Blake, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, and United Airlines, Presenting Sponsors of Business and Policy programs; Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, and Leslie and Brad Bucher, Presenting Sponsors of Exhibitions; Wells Fargo, Presenting Sponsor of Education and Outreach; Syamal and Susmita Poddar, Presenting Sponsors of Performing Arts and Culture; and Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), Sponsor of the Japan Series; and Regions Bank, Title Sponsor for the internship program. General support of programs and exhibitions is provided by The Brown Foundation, Inc., Houston Endowment, Inc., the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, National Endowment for the Arts, Texas Commission on the Arts, and Vinson & Elkins LLP, as well as Friends of Asia Society.

Title Sponsor for Internship Program

About Asia Society Texas

Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.