I got the opportunity to internship with the Neon Pacific Initiative. A fairly new internship that was developed by the head of the Asian and Asian American Studies Department, Dr. Mark Padoongpatt. I was given the chance to work with Dr. Padoongpatt on his podcast project for this internship through his Asian American courses. The podcast was meant to build enrichment on the historical backgrounds of Asians in America, and particularly in Las Vegas. The podcast focused on creating the discussion about Asian Americans and their representation in American society through looking at the historical context in which brought them here. As an Asian and Asian American Studies major, I was able to contribute my knowledge and input that I had acquired from previous AIS courses. I even utilized UNLV’s Special Collections, where I found out so much more on Asian American entertainers in Las Vegas alone. Anything I learned was beneficial to the development of our questions for our guests. I wouldn’t say this internship led to a path on me wanting to do podcasting or journalism in the future, but I would say the experience allowed me to enrich my knowledge of Asian American history, as well as expand on how I collect data and resources when it comes to research. If I am to pursue a career pertaining to research in the future, I believe this internship has taught me well on that skill set, plus the ability to work with a team in a cooperative way.
Image: Our first experience in the podcast recording studio at Greenspun building at UNLV.
