About Us – thefirstoffice.com

About The First Office community

Welcome to Our First Office Community

The First Office was founded on a simple but powerful belief: no student should be locked out of public service because they don’t have connections, a polished resume, or money for unpaid work.

As a former community college student who had the support to pursue unpaid internships, I saw how rare that access truly is. I was fortunate to gain early experience in government and advocacy—opportunities that shaped my confidence, purpose, and career direction. But I also saw how many of my peers couldn’t afford to take the same steps, despite being just as capable and committed.

The First Office was created to change that—to make early access to civic careers more equitable, visible, and sustainable for students across the community college system.

Guiding Principles

Our Vision & Mission

Our Vision

We envision a California where every community college student with a passion for service has the access, training, and support to pursue a career in public service. Our long-term goal is to build a sustainable, student-led pipeline that expands across Los Angeles and throughout the state—creating a more inclusive and representative civic workforce.

Our Mission

At The First Office, we connect community college students to meaningful internships in government, nonprofits, and civic institutions. We provide career workshops on resume writing, interviewing, and professional communication; offer one-on-one mentorship to guide students through their experience; and develop scalable tools to expand the program to other colleges and communities.

0 %

of Community College students have internship interest

0 %

of LACCD students have any internship experience, paid or unpaid

0 %

of California community college students report food-insecurity

0 %

of community college students hold jobs while enrolled

First Office Founder

Meet the Founder

Adler Dillman is a public policy student, organizer, and former intern in local government, Congress, and labor organizing. After transferring from a California community college, Adler launched The First Office in 2025 to help make early civic opportunities accessible to more students, regardless of income or connections.

Adler Dillman

Public Policy Student

Why It Matters

Internships are often the first step into public service—but for many students, they’re unpaid, hard to find, or out of reach. That shuts out talented young people from the very communities our institutions should represent. The First Office works to change that. By supporting students early, we don’t just build résumés—we build equity, amplify new voices, and help shape a more inclusive future in public service.