Erguvan 2025 Summer Internship – UC Davis

This August, Erguvan members came together for ten days in Davis, California, for our annual Summer Internship. Hosted in collaboration with UC Davis, the program brought together art-making, personal reflection, and strategic planning for the future of our projects.

On August 17th, at the BAYCC Cultural Center in Santa Clara, we held a ceramics workshop led by our member Şebnem. Participants created leaf-imprinted dishes and closed with an interactive storytelling ice-breaker that reminded us of the power of collective creativity. Later in the week, Leyla instructed our 3 Paint with Coffee workshops across Sacramento, where Mercan, Hamid, and Polat also introduced Erguvan to new audiences. On campus, we collaborated with UC Davis interns in a block-carving activity exploring the parallels between chip design and manufacturing and printmaking.

The program also included cultural outings. We traveled to San Francisco to see the Golden Gate Bridge, Palace of Fine Arts, Treasure Island, and Chinatown. We hosted an outdoor movie night at UC Davis and enjoyed warm hospitality from local families who welcomed us into their homes.

A special highlight was our meeting with Prof. Saif Islam, who shared his vision for new initiatives. We also celebrated five birthdays, adding joy to our time together.

Throughout the internship, we focused on:

  • Delegating tasks among new and current members
  • Launching new projects
  • Exploring nonprofit opportunities in Europe
  • Designing and improving the Erguvan Studio kits
  • Developing new Erguvan Academy classes and graduation plans
  • Client meetings for our design agency
  • Gathering feedback on our websites
  • Strengthening internal and external communication strategies
  • Team bonding and Short Film branch planning

The 2025 Summer Internship reminded us once again that Erguvan is built on collaboration, friendship, and community. We left Davis inspired, prepared, and connected—ready for what’s ahead.

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