Spring Break Externship Program

What is the AACC Externship Program?

The program is a one- or two-week unpaid internship during spring break (an ‘externship’) that brings undergraduate students into the workplaces of Yale alumni across the country.  Externships will take place either on the first week or on both weeks of Yale’s spring break. The program endeavors to expose students to alumni in careers that have an emphasis on serving the greater social good.

  • November 8, 2026 - SBE Info Session.
  • November 9, 2026 - Student SBE application goes live.
  • December 6, 2026 - Student Applications due at 11:59pm ET.
  • December 11, 2026 - Finish sorting student applications, send to alumni to rank
  • January 18, 2026 - Deadline for alumni to rank applicants.
  • January 22, 2027 - Final matching and decisions released.
  • January 24, 2027 - SBE financial aid applications due.
  • January 29, 2027: Deadline for students to commit to the externship.
  • First week of February, 2027: SBE Orientation Event
  • First week of March, 2027: SBE Sendoff Event
  • March 6-21, 2027: AACC Spring Break Externships
  • March 23 - April 2, 2027: Post-externship feedback is gathered from students and alumni hosts. 

Alumni Sponsor Responsibilities 

1. The sponsor will accommodate the student at their jobsite in-person for the agreed upon one-week period (unless otherwise stated) – the sponsor must be able to have check-in meetings and regular communication with the student regularly throughout the duration of the externship.

2. Depending on the nature of the work, the sponsor will provide specific projects or tasks and schedule meetings for the student or will allow the student to shadow them (see table on next page for examples).

3. Before the externship, the sponsor and student should discuss the student’s particular goals, what the sponsor can provide and what can be reasonably be accomplished during that time period.

Student Extern Responsibilities

1. The sponsor and student should communicate before the externship to determine the student’s particular goals, what the sponsor can provide, and what can reasonably be accomplished during the agreed upon duration of the externship.

2. The student is expected to be fully present at work every day, maintain timely communication with the sponsor as well as others they encounter and conduct themselves in a professional manner.

3. After the externship, students are expected to complete a questionnaire giving feedback regarding their externship.

4. If you are selected for an externship and agree to participate, but fail to complete your externship, you will be prohibited from applying to the AACC Spring Break Externship Program in the future.

5. For in-person and hybrid externships, the student has the responsibility to closely observe the health and safety protocols of the sponsor’s workplace.  This applies to all hours of the day during the externship program to ensure the safety of the alumni and other staff members the student may be working with.

Program Contacts

Please feel free to contact us at aaccalumni@yale.edu. Please do not email alumni directly during the application process. We’d be happy to address any questions, comments, or concerns you may have. We look forward to working with you!

AACC Alumni Engagement Team 2026-2027

Andrew Lee ‘27

Aaron Ma ‘28

Noah Hong ‘29

Director of the Asian American Cultural Center, Joliana Yee joliana.yee@yale.edu 

2027 Spring Break Externship Application

Submit your application by December 6th at 11:59pm ET to be considered for one of 26 externship spots!

Apply

Externship Descriptions


 

Advocacy/Non-Profit

Location: San Francisco, CA

Duration: March 8th - 12th

Alum: Grant Din, Branford ‘79

Industry: Historical Organizing/Non-Profit

Available Spots: 3 - 4

Sponsor Provided Description: Located in the middle of San Francisco Bay, Angel Island Immigration Station was routinely the first stop for immigrants crossing the Pacific Ocean from 1910-1940, in particular for Asians affected by harsh immigration laws. The Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation (AIISF) is the nonprofit partner of California State Parks and the National Park Service in the effort to educate the public about the complex story and rich cultural heritage of Pacific Coast immigrants and their descendants.

The focus of this externship is on historic research and a presentation to staff and volunteers. The externs will be able to spend time researching and writing about Angel Island immigrants, and spend a day at Angel Island State Park so they can discover the history of that National Historic Landmark. Assuming it remains open (see saveournationalarchives for the threat to the existence of the branch), the externs will spend a day at the National Archives and Records Administration branch located in San Bruno, and/or possibly work with archival interviews of former Angel Island detainees. There will also be opportunities to explore the Bay Area and Friday will feature a Chinatown meal with alumni and a tour of Chinatown.

Recommended skills: General research, writing, interest in Asian American history.

Location: Brooklyn, NY

Duration: March 8th - 12th

Alum: Pilar Bylinksy, Jonathan Edwards ‘25

Industry: Music Education/Non-Profit

Available Spots: 1

Sponsor Provided Description: Founded in 1897, the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music (BKCM) is a nonprofit community music school dedicated to transforming lives and building community through the expressive, educational and therapeutic powers of music. We envision a world where every New Yorker, regardless of age, income or level of ability, has access to high-quality music instruction and music therapy. We believe that neighborhoods traditionally under-served by New York City cultural institutions need and deserve hands-on musical experiences, and that by creating these opportunities we are building a more vibrant, interconnected city.

Today, BKCM engages more than 15,000 individuals annually through music education, music therapy, artist services, performances and community programming.

An extern can expect to explore the world of non-profit development and events! An extern may take on ideating donor engagement strategies, identifying donor prospects, and supporting cultivation events. As a thriving non-profit, we constantly have new projects that an extern could help see to fruition, and are happy to work with the extern to create a project they’re excited about!

Recommended skills: Detail-oriented, problem solver, communicative, interest in music/music education/music therapy.

Architecture

Location: New Haven, CT

Duration:  March 8th - 12th

Alum: Mai Wu, Trumbull ‘91, YSoA ‘96

Industry: Architecture

Available Spots: 1

Sponsor Provided Description: Apicella + Bunton Architects LLC is an architectural design firm specializing in planning and design services for primarily academic/institutional clients. Student will shadow architects and designers. Experience will include attendance of meetings, site visits, possible assistance with resources library, among other tasks. Possible software use includes Revit, Adobe “Creative” and Microsoft Office. Our firm is small, and is a studio setting which provides exposure to many elements of the profession through practice and observation. We try to expose our externs to as much as possible during their stay, so they have a good preview of the profession. Firm profile:  https://www.apicellabunton.com/profile/

Recommended skills: Any of the software noted in the description, but not required.

Arts

Location: New York City, NY

Duration: March 8th - 12th 

Alum: Lauren Yee, Stiles ‘07

Industry: Theater

Available Spots: 2

Sponsor Provide Description: Student externs are welcome to join Lauren Yee in the rehearsal room as they workshop a brand-new play of hers. Lauren is a playwright and screenwriter who will be working on a new play with actors and a director over the course of two weeks. Externs will get a window into new play development. Good for emerging writers, directors, actors, and other kinds of theater people.

Recommended skills: Good listener and communicator, respectful for others, bent toward creativity and storytelling.

Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas

Duration: March 8th - 12th

Alum: Alice J. Lee, Berkeley ‘01

Field: Graphic design, visual arts

Available spots: 1

Sponsor Provided Description: The University of Arkansas in Fayetteville is the flagship research university of the state, and is situated in the growing Northwest-Arkansas region. A $120 million gift from the Walton Foundation established the School of Art within the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, and is helping to propel art education, design, research and creative activity in the state forward while also providing unparalleled access and opportunity to students. As an active community, we host many speakers, workshops, demos, and other events most weeks of the semester. More information on the School of Art can be found at art.uark.edu.

Alice Lee ‘01 is an associate professor in the Graphic Design area of the School of Art. She teaches a range of courses, including UI/UX, typography, design for motion, and critical making. As a faculty member in a research position, her workload comprises teaching, service, and research that expand and contribute to her field. Alice is in the process of launching an independent publishing imprint focused on distributing underrepresented stories within bilingual, bicultural communities. She can provide mentorship and hands-on experience with graphic design, bookmaking, printing, and project development.

She would like to provide an extern with the opportunity for hands-on research, book design, and production around an AAPI History project she is developing. Ideally the student has an interest in AAPI history and making it more accessible to the general public plus an interest and experience in graphic design.

Recommended skills: Conducting secondary research; conducting primary research in the form of interviews: knowledge of typography basics and familiarity with InDesign.

Finance/Investment Management

Location: San Francisco, CA

Duration: March 8th - 12th 

Alum: James Kim, Davenport ‘11

Industry: Venture Capital

Available Spots: 2 

Sponsor Provided Description: Reach Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm headquartered in San Francisco. We back exceptional founders who elevate human potential and ignite purpose across learning, health, and work. Our portfolio includes category leaders such as Replit, Handshake, GPTZero, Brilliant, Preply, Outschool, Desmos, Newsela, Nearpod, ClassDojo, and Lovevery.

Reach was founded in 2015 and is currently investing out of its new $265M Fund V. The team consists of 19 people: 10 on the investment team and 9 across platform and operations.

James is an investment partner and would directly supervise the extern(s). The externship would mainly entail shadowing me through the diverse aspects of venture capital investing, including founder pitches, due diligence, investment committee discussions, portfolio support, co-investor meetings, and internal projects. Depending on interest and background, the extern(s) may work on a small project of their own, such as building a market map or surveying their peers on AI usage.

Recommended skills: No must-haves; finance, software engineering, or AI/ML research experience would be helpful.

Law

Location: Chicago, IL

Duration: March 8th - 12th or March 15th - 19th

Alum: Stephen Chahn Lee, Morse ‘91

Industry: Law

Available Spots: 2

Sponsor Provided Description: The Law Office of Stephen Chahn Lee, LLC is a solo legal practice focused on white-collar criminal defense and health care fraud.  Stephen Chahn Lee ‘91 was a federal prosecutor for 11 years and is happy to help train future lawyers.  The extern will shadow him in the course of meetings, case preparation, and community involvement in bar associations and research.  Stephen is currently scheduled for a criminal trial in April 2027, so externs will likely see some trial prep.

Note: Host preference is to host one extern per week rather than two on the same week.

Recommended skills: Research

Medicine/Science

Location: Old Lyme, CT

Duration: March 8th - 12th

Alum: Vinod V. Pathy, MD, Berkeley ‘95

Field: Healthcare

Available Spots: 1

Sponsor Provided Description: 

Northeast Plastic Surgery Center is a plastic and reconstructive private practice that focuses on both breast reconstruction as well as cosmetic surgery. As the founder and owner of the practice, Vinod wish he had known to seek out an externship while in college to experience a taste of both the mundane and exhilarating aspects of real-world surgery prior to medical school. There is an additional surgeon in the practice, as well as two physician assistants and multiple medical assistants, a surgical scheduler, and a nurse manager, in addition to non-clinical support staff.  They have a wonderful mix of patients that allows them to see patients in the office-based setting for consultations and follow ups, as well as where we can perform minor procedures, while operating at multiple operating facility sites for larger procedures. The externship experience will allow you to shadow surgeons and physician assistants in the clinic to see patients and potentially observe minor procedures. Depending upon operating room restrictions at the time, there may be a further opportunity to observe surgery in the operating room setting as well. In addition, Dr. Pathy hopes that reviewing his own experiences from medical school through residency and fellowship, as well as with discussions of building a successful practice along with a medical device company, will positively influence the next generation of physicians and surgeons.

Recommended skills: None, however, interest in healthcare is preferred.

Location: Irvine, CA

Duration: March 8th - 12th

Alum: Eric Yao Chang MD, Saybrook ‘99

Field: Sports Medicine

Available Spots: 3

Sponsor Provided Description: Academic Private Practice affiliated with the University of California Irvine. We are an Orthopedic Sports Medicine practice. Eric is the owner of the practice and this externship is good experience to learn about clinical orthopedic sports medicine and clinical research opportunities. It will allow student externs to prepare for a future in the field of medicine.

Recommended skills: Pre-med, Be ready to learn!

Location: New York City, NY

Duration: March 8th - 12th

Alum: Dr. Herrick Wun, Trumbull ‘94

Field: Vascular Medicine

Available spots: 1-2

Sponsor Provided Description: Weill Cornell Medicine is the Physician Organization for Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, NY, that staffs the physicians and surgeons at New York Presbyterian Hospital, one of the top hospitals in the country.  The externship experience will allow you to shadow a busy vascular surgeon in an academic medical practice that focuses on providing high quality care to the underserved Asian population.  You will see how our surgeons, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, medical assistants, and vascular technologists function as an integrated team during clinics and procedures/surgeries. There will be time to discuss my experiences from Yale to medical school faculty member.

Recommended skills: A desire to immerse yourself in real world medicine.

Location: San Diego, CA

Alum: Christina Hueschen, Silliman ‘10

Field: Medical research

Duration: March 8th - 12th

Available spots: 1 - 2

Sponsor provided description: The Hueschen Lab is an interdisciplinary biophysics and cell biology research group within the Dept. of Cell and Developmental Biology at UC San Diego. Our research focuses on how cells and microscopic animals move, penetrate through tissue, and change shape. We use microscopy, experimental approaches from cell and parasite biology, and physical and mathematical thinking. Current topics of interest include the dynamics and patterning of cytoskeletal proteins inside the parasitic cells that cause toxoplasmosis, mechanisms of cell gliding motility, the mechanics of tissue penetration by parasites, and the mechanics of morphogenesis (shape change). Our extern(s) will get hands-on research experience alongside lab members, discuss science and career paths with Dr. Hueschen and current PhD students and postdocs, and explore the UCSD community.

Recommended skills: Interest in biology or biophysics research.

Politics/Public Sector

Location: St. Paul, MN

Duration: March 8th - 19th

Alum: Kaozouapa Elizabeth Lee (Liz), Trumbull ‘11

Industry: Government

Available Spots: 1 - 2

Sponsor Provided Description: The Minnesota House of Representatives boasts 134 members and is anticipated to have a fast-paced session in 2027.

Externs will be both observer and participant to the daily workings of Rep. Liz Lee’s office. Our staff consists of 1 legislative aide and 1 press staffer. Externs will have the opportunity to join internal staff meetings, meetings with stakeholders on pending legislation, as well as voting time on the MN House Floor. If there is interest and time, externs may consider drafting resolutions and bills, as well as correspondence with constituents and/or state and federal agencies.

Recommended skills: Open to taking all majors; good communications skills are a plus!

Technology

Location: London, UK

Duration: March 8th - 19th

Alum: Minh Ngan Tran,  Morse ‘09

Field: Product Marketing

Available Spots: 2

***Note: $2,500 stipend per extern offered by alumni host for housing and transportation***

Sponsor Provided Description: Goodnotes is the leading AI digital paper beloved by 25 million users worldwide. Launched in 2011, Goodnotes started as an improvement to physical paper notes. Today, Goodnotes is pioneering generative AI for digital handwriting in the productivity space. Goodnotes was most recently named Apple’s 2022 iPad App of the Year. Minh Tran ‘09 is currently the Chief Operation Office (COO) at Goodnotes overseeing all of the business and people functions. Our two externs will join our marketing team to help us design our field marketing efforts at colleges around the world!

Recommended skills: Love for all things branding and marketing; experience with organizing campus events and galvanizing people to come out for them.