For the eighth 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 Chao at the ILF's Annual Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C.

Any undergraduate student in good standing at a junior college, 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. Applications must be received by February 2, 2007.

Students interested in working at the State Department need to submit their applications by January 5, 2007.

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 young and 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. Cabinet Secretaries Elaine Chao and Norman Y. Mineta have been recent ILF keynote speakers. In 2006, businessman Victor Tsao and Ambassador Sichan Siv were the ILF's two Achievement Award recipients.