About Labor Summer
Established in 2022 and hosted by the UCR Inland Empire Labor & Community Center at UCR, the Labor Summer Fellowship is an annual program that brings together emerging leaders, labor unions, and community organizations who share a vision for worker justice and labor rights. Student participants are matched with a host organization for an 8-week paid internship to engage in local campaigns that advance worker, racial, immigrant, and other social justice initiatives.
Throughout the summer, students will learn the basics of community and labor organizing and get hands-on experience building power with workers and Inland Empire residents. Several Labor Summer alumni have been offered full-time positions after the program and are at the forefront of the labor movement in the Inland Empire and beyond.
UCR students receive a stipend in recognition of their participation in the program. The program also provides students with leadership and professional development training, a certificate of completion, and access to a UC statewide labor summer network.
Who is eligible for the Labor Summer Fellowship?
Labor Summer 2026 is open to all UCR upper-division standing undergraduate students regardless of their immigration status. Current UCR undergraduate seniors graduating in Spring 2026 are welcome to apply along with continuing undergraduate students. Please note that all participants must have either SSN or an ITIN to receive the fellowship funds.
Labor Summer 2026
The application period for Labor Summer 2026 will open December 1st, 2025 and close February 6th, 2026. Please check back soon or join the IELCC student mailing list to be notified. Please see below for details regarding the 2026 fellowship.
Key Dates for Labor Summer 2026
| December 1, 2025 to February 6, 2025 | Student fellow application period. Applications will be due February 6, 2026 at 11:59 PM PT. |
|---|---|
| Mid-February, 2026 | Finalists invited to the interview round. Interviews will be held in early March. |
| March 18, 2026 | Student fellows selected and notified. |
| March 30, 2026 | Student fellows deadline to confirm participation. |
| Late April - Early May, 2026 | Fellow(s) matchmaking with host organization. |
| June 22 to June 26, 2026 | Opening retreat for fellows at UC Riverside and surrounding community. |
| June 29, 2026 | Fellows’ first day of work at host organizations. |
| July 10, July 24, Aug 14, 2026 |
In-person teach in days with the IELCC team. |
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August 13, 2026 |
Fellows graduation ceremony & Fellows’ final day of work at host organizations. |
If you’d like to receive an email notification when the application opens, click this link to sign up for our mailing list. Thank you for your interest in Labor Summer!
Labor Summer Alumni
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Class of 2025
UCR Labor Summer 2025 Fellows. Back: Eren Whitfield, Kai Levenson, Pamela Romero, Priscila Esparza, Jaylene Peralta, Mata Elangovan. Front: Evelyn Cruz Jimmenez, Alexis Reabroi, Priscila Fuentes Garcia, Amisha Dohgra, Isabel Carreon Morales, Isabella Verjat. 
Alexis Reabroi with SEIU 721 
Amisha Dohgra with SEIU 721 
Eren Whitfield with the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center 
Isabella Verjat with the Inland Empire Labor Council 
Mata Elangovan with SEIU 121RN 
Pamela Romero with SEIU 121RN 
Evelyn Cruz Jimenez with the People's Collective for Environmental Justice 
Isabel Carreon Morales with UDW 3930 
Jaylene Peralta with UAW 4811 
Kai Levenson with Teamsters 1932 
Priscila Esparza with SEIU 2015 
Priscila Fuentes Garcia with the Warehouse Workers Resource Center -
Class of 2024
UCR Labor Summer 2024 Graduation. Back: Josue Silva Garcia, Ricardo Gonzalez, Eric Guerra, Ketsia Mbuyamba Mukenge, Jessie Parks, Max Ohshima-Li. Front: Cal Lee, Yadira Alvarado Santillan, Arlene Reyes, Paolina Ochoa, Jaylin Alvayero. 
Cal Lee with the Warehouse Workers Resource Center
Ketsia Mbuyamba Mukenge with the Inland Empire Labor Institute
Eric Guerra with the Inland Empire Labor Council 
Paolina Ochoa with People's Collective for Environmental Justice 
Jessie Parks with SEIU 721 
Max Ohshima-Li with SEIU 721 
Jaylin Alvayero with SEIU 2015 
Yadira Alvarado Santillan with United Domestic Workers 
Arlene Reyes with Pomona Economic Opportunity Center
Ricardo Gonzalez with IE-AWU
Josue Silva Garcia with Just San Bernardino -
Class of 2023
UCR Labor Summer 2023 Orientation. From left to right: Balgis Muhammad, Jana Gad, Jeffery Ortega, Arlette Guttirez, Gabriela Clatenco Martinez, Jacqueline Ma, Lesli Valladares Escobar, George Jimenez, Elizabeth Romo Romero, Deidre Reyes, Jeddy Jacinto Molina, Arturo Ramirez Diego, Gregory B. Hutchins (Lead Graduate Researcher, IELCC). - Arlette Gutierrez with UFCW 1167
- Arturo Ramirez Diego with the Warehouse Workers Resource Center
- Balgis Muhammad with SEIU 721
- Deidre Reyes with UDW 3930
- Elizabeth Romo Romero with the Inland Empire Labor and Community Center
- Gabriela Clatenco Martinez with the Inland Empire Labor Council
- George Jimenez with SEIU 2015
- Jacqueline Ma with UDW 3930
- Jana Gad with UDW 3930
- Jeddy Jacinto Molina with UFCW 1167
- Jeffrey Ortega with SEIU 2015
- Lesli Valladares Escobar with the Warehouse Workers Resource Center