Internships
Following is the UPDATED internship
policy for the Communication/Journalism Department:
The following policies clarify and extend the University’s policies on
internships, found in the current Shippensburg University Catalog. These
policies make the handling of internships consistent throughout the College of
Arts and Sciences, although departments
are free to institute additional requirements if they deem appropriate.
— DEADLINES: Students seeking
internships must file the signed paperwork in the dean’s office by the end of the semester prior to the
internship semester (December 1 and May 1). All summer internships are due
by June 1. Late applications may not receive credit. Students will not be
scheduled until completed paperwork is submitted to the dean’s office.
— REQUIREMENTS: Undergraduate COM
students must have a minimum of 60 credits, a 2.5 GPA overall and a 3.0 GPA
in their major, plus prior experience in a student-media group as a member or
leader to qualify for an internship. Students must also have taken five or more
COM courses, including at least one in their professional emphasis.
Graduate COM students must have been matriculated in a graduate program to
qualify.
— CREDITS: Undergraduate students
may take a maximum of six (6) credit hours for internships with a maximum of
six (6) credits counting in the major. Students may count three (3) of the six credits toward their minor, provided both the major and minor departments
agree. Students should receive one (1) credit for a minimum of 40 hours work.
Students who are double majors may receive a maximum of twelve (12) credit
hours of internship credit and count a maximum of six (6) hours in each major
with departmental approval. Graduate students should refer to their program
requirements.
— Students must fill out a Letter of
Agreement and Internship Checklist,
which, after receiving approval, the department will keep for a minimum of
three years.
— During the regular academic year, students should keep a weekly log of their hours
and activity and submit it to their faculty internship adviser. At the end of
the internship, the student should submit to the faculty internship adviser
copies of at least 3 samples of work created during the internship as well as a summary
of the activities performed in the internship, briefly describing how
these activities met his/her stated educational goals for the internship.
Departments may add additional requirements as they deem appropriate.
— Faculty internship advisers must make every reasonable effort to visit
interns, and in cases where this is not possible, the advisers must contact
both the student and the employer by phone or e-mail during the period of the
internship. At the mid-term and end
of the internship, employers should complete an Organization Internship Evaluation and return it to the faculty internship adviser. Faculty
internship advisers will complete a Faculty
Adviser Evaluation.
— At the end of the internship, the student should complete the Student Internship Evaluation, which
the internship coordinator will review and keep in the department office for
three years.
Students should contact Profressor Witmer for a copy of the internship packet once they have secured an internship. Please take special note of the deadlines
listed above.
Internships are not required, but they are strongly
encouraged. All internships must provide “real-life” professional experience
for the student.
Looking for an internship?
Subscribe to the department’s internship
Twitter feed to get updates about new internship postings. Go to http://www.twitter.com/ShipCJIntern and
request to follow the feed. If you do not already have a Twitter account, it is easy (and free!) to create one.
Here are some other good places to look for internships:
— local or hometown newspapers, magazines, radio and TV stations, PR firms,
book publishers, arts organizations, and nonprofits
— SU Career Development Center <http://www.ship.edu/career/>
— JournalismJobs.com <http://www.journalismjobs.com/Search_Jobs_all.cfm>
— American Society of News Editors (ASNE) <http://asne.org/resources/newsroom_internships.aspx>
— The Association of Magazine Media <http://www.magazine.org/Careers/internships/>
— Washington Post Summer Internship Program <http://intern.washpost.com/>
— The New York Times Summer Internship Program <http://www.nytco.com/careers/internships/summer.html>
— National Public Radio (NPR) Internships <http://www.npr.org/about/jobs/intern/>
— WITF.org <http://www.witf.org/about/careers>
(Harrisburg, Pa.)
— Dream Careers <http://www.summerinternships.com/internships/>
(PR, publishing, editorial & broadcasting)
— InternshipPrograms.com <http://www.internshipprograms.com/>
— Hershey Entertainment & Resorts <http://www.hersheyjobs.com/internships/index.php>
Perhaps you already have a “dream” job or internship in mind. Think about the
media you consume on a regular basis. Ask your friends and classmates where
they have done internships. What were their experiences like? Your professors
may likely have some professional contacts and tips, as well.
Here is a small sampling of where students in our program have done internships:
— Washington Post
— NFL Films
— WHTM ABC-27
— Central PA magazine
— Children’s Miracle Network
— York Daily Record
— MTV Studios
— Tierney (PR)
— Bravo Group (PR)
— Lorel Marketing Group
— Maryland Public Television
— Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District
— Chambersburg Public Opinion
— Central Penn Business Journal
— Pennsylvania Governor's Office of Information Technology (PR)
— GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals (PR)
— Athens (Texas) Daily Review
— National Constitution Center, Philadelphia (PR)
For more information, students and employers should contact Prof. Stephanie
Witmer, the department’s internship coordinator, at SAWitmer@ship.edu or 717-477-1525.