Internships

Meet with internship coordinator (Professor Kim Young) to register for JRB 475 during Major Reservations.

No. You will receive a letter grade for the course based on your journal assignments, portfolio, final presentation and intern supervisor’s evaluation of your work. 

An internship allows you to apply what you’ve been learning in classes to a professional setting. The experience will help you test your interest in the field and assess your preparation for the workplace. It can also introduce you to people who can be helpful resources when you are looking for a job after graduation.

There are many places to start. The key is to start early. Don’t wait until your senior year to start planning for this experience. Schedule an appointment with the department’s Internship Coordinator. Talk with your professors and other students in journalism. Look into the various media organizations in the Rochester area and in your hometown. Check your email; the department internship coordinator frequently lets students know of internship openings.

If you can, start early and work often, even if you do not receive academic credit.

As a first-year student or sophomore, you could arrange a summer internship at a local newspaper or other media outlet or organization in or near your hometown. As you enter your junior year, having already had some internship experience, you’ll be ready to apply for the more competitive internships.

Most students do internships during the academic year, but you can also do an internship during the summer session. Your options widen considerably if you can do a full-time internship during the school year, when there is less competition from other students. This is especially true for internships in New York or Washington, D.C.

You can also do a local, part-time internship during the semester if you arrange your schedule, so you have some large blocks of open time. (Remember, you get credit, so you should schedule this as you would a class.)

Our students have interned in an amazing array of sites, from Dateline NBC to CNN to ProPublica in addition to scores of local and regional television stations, radio stations, newspapers and magazines, PR firms, non-profit organizations, and other media outlets.

Students interested in politics and law can intern with the Monroe County District Attorney’s office or in the local offices of Senators Gillibrand and Schumer. Students interested in marketing work at public relations companies. Students with an interest in social justice can work with non-profits involved in the environment, women’s reproductive rights, media policy or other areas.

With the increase in communication via the web, every organization now requires a storyteller who can help them create and manage their online presence. Journalism majors have the skills to do these jobs.

If you’re looking for your first internship or if you need to be at home over the summer, you can arrange an internship on your own with your local newspaper, radio, or television station. Contact public relations firms, advocacy groups, politicians’ offices, religious and community organizations, publishing companies and sports and arts groups. Many of these places take on interns with writing skills to help with their newsletters, web sites and press releases. There are also online internships. Tell them you’re a journalism major wanting to do an internship. Most places are happy to have free help.

More competitive internships also are available at major newspapers, magazines, media outlets and other organizations. They can be located anywhere in the country. The applications for these internships may be quite extensive, requiring essays, clips and portfolios, and most have early application deadlines. So, you should start the application process early.

Don’t let lack of money deter you from exploring the possibilities. Think of an internship as an integral part of your education and figure out a way to finance it. Many internship sites recognize that interns may also need to work at paid employment and are willing to be flexible in arranging your schedule. Tell them about your requirements during the interview process.

• Write a resumé and keep it up to date and create an online portfolio of your best work. It is strongly recommended that you seek input from Career Design Center in Dailey Hall on your resume and cover letter.
• Think “resumé building” as you plan your time at Brockport. Take advantage of the resources at Brockport to add to your marketable skills: Join clubs.
  • Clubs such as Talon TV, the Stylus, the PR Club, 89.1 The Point, and our chapter of SPJ (Society of Professional Journalists) will help build your resume. Take some Computer Science or Information Technology courses. Complete a certificate. Engage in a service-learning program. You’ll build your resume with these activities, and they’ll also make you a more engaged citizen.
• Start looking for internships long before the semester you plan to intern. For example, in the Fall semester, you should begin the search for summer internships. Most internships have deadlines, so it’s good to start investigating the opportunities as early as possible.

Once you confirm that you will be interning, you will need to meet with the internship coordinator and enroll for academic credit. Also, you must:

1. Recognize that you are representing SUNY Brockport as an ambassador to the community and abide by the Student Code of Conduct and Code of Academic Integrity.
2. Understand and follow the policies, procedures, rules, and regulations of the sponsoring organization.
3. Be prepared to perform your internship duties for the hours and duration specified. Talk with the supervisor about any University holidays.
4. Ensure that your direct supervisor is able and willing to submit an evaluation on your behalf.

If you receive academic credit

Once you confirm that you will be interning and have met with the internship coordinator, you will need to enroll for academic credit.

If you do not receive academic credit

If you choose not to enroll for academic credit for an internship, you do not need to fill out any forms or do any paperwork with the Department or with the College. But you should let Professor Young know how it worked out and discuss future internship plans.

For more information

Contact, Kimberly Young, Journalism, Broadcasting and Public Relations Internship Coordinator, at 585-395-2043