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 university interns, Michelle Reyes, who works with our Education and Outreach department.

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

Quick Facts

Name: Michelle Reyes
School: University of St. Thomas
Date of internship: Fall 2020 – 2024 (Four year placement beginning in Fall 2020)
Favorite project you’ve worked on during your internship: Making of Night Market Activities for Education & Outreach
Most interesting thing you’ve learned during your internship: Learning about how different Asian cultures celebrate Lunar New Year

Reflection

I wanted to intern at Asia Society Texas because I am interested to learn about different Asian cultures around the world and how it influences people in their daily life. I have seen many different ethnicities and cultures around Houston but I have not gone into depth about learning each one. Therefore when joining Asia Society, I was given an opportunity to really learn about all the different traditions and values each culture has. Exploring Asian culture also matched my goals because as an International Studies student I was naturally curious to know each ethnicity better and how it ties into the world around us.

Most projects given to me were different in their own way because no matter how small or big they were, I always learned something new. For example, one project I worked on was researching about U.S. and China relations and how it globally affects different nations. Although this project taught me a lot about diplomacy and international relations, I still learned from smaller projects such as putting together seasonal themed crafts and activities for children that are based on actual games from Asian countries. No matter the project given, I always learned something new about a country and its culture that was both unexpected and useful.

In the future, I know that I want to work internationally to discover more about the world around us and how each country ties with one another. Asia Society is helping me prepare for this future because I am learning something new each day I work. For example, meeting new people — from co-workers to business partners — is helping me prepare because it’s teaching me how to properly network. Networking is also helping me advance my communication skills and willingness to try new things. My internship also helps me broaden my mindset on global relations because each time I discover something new about a country, I become one step closer to better understand the circumstances of that nation. Helping me keep an open mind braces me for my future because it will help me better understand where each side is coming from.

Business and Policy programs are endowed by Huffington Foundation. We give special thanks to Bank of America, Muffet Blake, Anne and Albert Chao, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Nancy Pollok Guinee, 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; AARP, Sterling Turner Foundation, and Wells Fargo, Presenting Sponsors of Education & Outreach; Syamal and Susmita Poddar, Presenting Sponsors of Performing Arts & Culture; 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, McKinsey & Company, Inc., 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.