Fall semester may have just started, but summer 2014 internship deadlines are fast approaching. Here’s a look at what you need to know about the application process for print and digital design internships at some of the nation’s top newspapers.
Newspaper name links to the application website.
Arizona Republic and Indianapolis Star Pulliam Fellowship
Summer, 10 weeks, paid
Deadline: Nov. 1
Qualifications: College juniors, seniors and graduate students enrolled in a journalism or related degree program as of Nov. 1 are eligible. Previous newspaper journalism internships and/or experience as a journalist on a college newspaper are preferred.
Application process: Application, samples, a transcript, a recent photograph of yourself, and three letters of recommendation
Atlanta Journal Constitution
Summer, 10 weeks, paid
Deadline: Nov. 1
Qualifications: Must be a rising junior, senior or graduate student. We also accept applications from those who have graduated within six months of the start of the summer internship. Daily deadline experience preferred. Must have worked on the campus newspaper or website.
Application process: Send a short note on why you want to be a journalist and how an internship at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution will help you pursue your goal. Note the specific internship you’re interested in: reporting, interactive graphics, database work. Include 3 links to or pdfs of your best work, a résumé, and 2 references. Send everything to ajcinterns@gmail.com.
Austin American-Statesman
Summer, paid
Deadline: Nov. 1
Qualifications: Must be enrolled in school. Previous newspaper experience is a plus.
Application process: Send us a resume, a 2-3 page autobiography that tells us about you and your interest in newspaper journalism, samples of your work, and a cover letter to Drew Marcks, senior editor, Austin American-Statesman, 305 S. Congress Ave., Austin, Texas 78704.
Boston Globe
Summer, 12 weeks, paid
Deadline: Nov. 1
Qualifications: Must have at least one previous internship.
Application process: Fill out this application and mail it with clips to Paula Bouknight, Assistant Managing Editor/Hiring, The Boston Globe, P.O. Box 55819, Boston, MA 02205-5819.
Chicago Tribune
Summer, 12 weeks, paid
Qualifications: To be eligible, candidates must have completed at least one internship at a daily news organization other than their college paper.
Application process: Send your cover letter, resume, work examples and the names of at least two professional and one school reference to Chicago Tribune Managing Editor Jane Hirt jhirt@tribune.com. Limit your clips to 5-7 pieces that represent your best work and show your range of experience.
Dallas Morning News
Summer, 10-12 weeks, paid
Deadline: Oct. 25
Eligibility: Must be enrolled in college or have graduated six-weeks prior to the internship start. Previous newspaper experience is requested.
Application process: Send a cover letter, resume, three references, and samples of your work to Selwyn Crawford, Team Leader, The Dallas Morning News P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, TX 75265-5237.
Houston Chronicle
Deadline: Dec. 1
Qualifications: Junior or Senior
Application process: To apply for Editorial openings, in either reporting, editing or photography, students need to send a resume, brief cover letter, reference letters and five to 10 clips, or 10 to 15 slides, directly to Jim Newkirk, Assistant Managing Editor, Houston Chronicle, P.O. Box 4260, Houston, TX 77210-4260
LA Times
Summer, 10 weeks, paid
Qualifications: Must be in school or a recent graduate. Little training is offered, so previous internship experience is preferred.
Deadline: Dec. 9 for Summer Visual Journalism Internship; Jan. 1, 2014 for graphics/reporting/design
Application process: For graphics/reporting/design internships, submit a cover letter; a resume; a one-page personal essay; up to 12 work samples; and a list of three references. If you have a personal website that showcases your work, you can include that information in your packet. Also, if you have a specific department you’re interested in, you can mention that in your cover letter. Mail to Tracy Boucher, Director of Newsroom Development, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
For Summer Visual Journalism Internship, submit a brief cover letter; a one-page autobiography; a resume; a portfolio with a minimum of 20 single images and three complete photo stories or multimedia presentations; and a list of three references. Mail to Robert St. John, Photo Editor, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
Minneapolis Star Tribune
Summer, 10 weeks, paid
Qualifications: Most successful applicants have completed their junior year in college, worked for a college news outlet and interned with at least one other professional daily news organization.
Deadline: Dec. 1 (corrected from an earlier version)
Application process: You must include:
Up to 10 of your best published clips demonstrating your ability to design compelling pages
A cover letter telling us what skills you’d bring to the position and why you want to be a journalist
A resume detailing your journalism experience as well as three references, including their titles, phone numbers and email addresses
Two letters of recommendation. At least one of those letters should come from an editor who’s seen you work in a professional environment on deadline. Please do not submit letters of reference from fellow student journalists.
Apply online or mail your application to Duchesne Drew, Managing Editor for Operations, Star Tribune, 425 Portland Av., Minneapolis, MN 55488
New York Times
Summer, 10 weeks, paid
Deadline: Oct. 31
Qualifications: Must be at least a junior. For a digital internship, candidates must know some HTML and Photoshop and have a demonstrated interest in journalism and a familiarity with both NYTimes.com and The New York Times newspaper.
Application process: Application, cover letter, and resume
Tampa Bay Times
Summer, paid
Deadline: Nov. 1, 2013
Qualifications: Sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate students interested in careers in media especially, news/information. Applicants should have experience at a college publication and at least one professional internship.
Application process: Send a cover letter, resume and samples of your work (copies of 5 or 6 published articles, advertisements, brochures, photography portfolio, etc.). to Nancy Waclawek, Internship Coordinator, Tampa Bay Times, 490 First Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
Additional information: Students hired for Times internships are eligible to apply for Intern Scholarships offered through the Tampa Bay Times Fund. The scholarships are worth up to $3,500 for returning full-time undergraduates and up to $1,500 for returning fulltime graduate students. (Applications will be made available to interns during their summer experience at the Times.)
Portland Oregonian
Summer, 10 weeks, paid
Deadline: Nov. 23
Qualifications: It is intended for students who have completed their junior or senior year of college, though strong applications from sophomores and graduate students will be considered. Successful applicants typically have already done one or more internships at a daily newspaper.
Application process: Fill out an application form and submit a cover letter, resume, 500-word autobiographical essay and three references
USA Today
Year round, semester long, academic credit
Qualifications: Previous internship experience or a leadership role in your campus newspaper preferred. Dot-com desks prefer Web-friendly seniors and graduate students, but exceptional underclass students may qualify. Students with Flash and Action Scripting skills are especially urged to apply.
Deadlines: Dec. 1 (summer); April 1 (autumn); Oct. 15 (spring)
Application process: Email newsroominterns@usatoday.com with:
A cover letter. At the top, indicate up to three prioritized preferences among the sections/specialties listed above, although internship offers may also be based on experience and newsroom needs. (Some sections secure more than one intern each term. If you are willing to work nights and/or weekends and have interests beyond News, Life or Sports, you may have a greater likelihood of being selected. Detail your skills. Indicate your availability — dates, days and hours — and estimate your school’s expectations for hours of service weekly or for the term. Provide names and contact information for three references.
Resume
For print: Attach three to five clips (in Word document, PDF or other MS-compatible format; no Web links)
For Dot-com: Attach clips and/or include a link to your Web site (if you have one). Dot-com applicants should be ready to take a skills drill – the same one taken by job candidates — that will include writing headlines and summaries (briefs) and a test of current events or basic familiarity with the content covered by the section(s) of your choice.
Wall Street Journal (Video, Photo, Graphics or Social Media Internships)
Summer, 10 weeks, paid
Deadline: Nov. 1
Qualifications: The screening process puts heavy emphasis on previous work and journalistic experience.
Application process: Include a cover letter, resume and up to six writing samples or examples of your multimedia work in the application
Washington Post
Summer, 12 weeks, paid
Qualifications: You must be a college junior, senior or graduate student enrolled in a degree program on Nov. 4. You must have had at least one professional news media job or internship.
Deadline: Nov. 4
Application process: Fill out the application form, print it out, sign it and mail it. Must include typed autobiographical essay of at least 500 words, resume, and work samples. Mail to The Washington Post, Attention: Newsroom Summer Internship Program, 1150 15th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20071
Note: This list is based off of the most current internship application information found on newspaper’s websites. If you’d like to change something or be added to the list, please email katherine.myrick@gmail.com.