MDDC’s Reese Cleghorn Internship program supports developing college-student journalists by providing experience in newsrooms in Maryland, Delaware or the District of Columbia through 8-week paid summer internships (total compensation for each intern is at least $3,520 for the 8-week program).

Application period is August 31 to November 15, 2020.

Apply for an internship.

Submit a reference.

Eligibility:

Students with a strong career interest in print journalism (and associated platforms) who have completed a college-level course in one of these areas or have equivalent experience on a college or community publication.  Open to undergraduates either:

• attending any Maryland, Delaware, or the District of Columbia four-year college/university, OR
• a resident of Maryland, Delaware or District of Columbia attending a four-year college/university elsewhere

Details:

• Applicants must have the use of an automobile during the internship and be living within a reasonable driving distance of their assigned news media organization.
• Assignments will be made to participating news media organization as near as possible to the residences of the selected applicants.
• Interns will be paid $300 a week after taxes for eight weeks.
• Samples of published journalism, copy editing or photojournalism are be required.
• Intern assignments can be with a daily or weekly news media organization in the Maryland, Delaware, and DC region. Assignment to a particular organization will be subject to the approval of the editor.

Submitting an Application:

• All applications must be submitted online.
• The open period to submit an application is August 31 - November 15, 2020.
• To submit an application, click here.

Items to gather prior to submitting the online application:

• 300-word essay describing your interest in a print journalism (and associated platforms) career
• 3 Professional references:
  • References are due by November 15, 2020
  • One reference must be a professor.
  • One reference should be a faculty advisor (preferred) or editor of college news organization.
  • Please provide this link to your references: https://form.jotform.com/62803492846160
  • References from fellow students or relatives will not be accepted.
• For Copy Editor or Reporting applicants, 3-5 writing samples of your news writing:
  • must use PDF file-type
  • published with your by-line or verification from editor
  • work submitted for credit in college news writing course may use in lieu of published writing samples (please specify course, instructor, where course was taken).
• For Photojournalism applicants:
  • 5+ photographs made on a newspaper or classroom assignment
  • Writing samples (if desired, not required)

Interviews:

Finalists for 2020 internships will be notified by mid-December and must attend an in-person or Zoom interview with the Intern Selection Committee in late December or early January.

Dates and Deadlines:

Application Submission Period: August 31  through November 15, 2020
Finalist Notifications: Mid to late December 2020
In-Person Interviews: late December 2020 - early January 2021
Intern Notifications: January 2021

Questions:

Please contact Rebecca Snyder with any questions.

Funding:

The Reese Cleghorn Internship program is supported by the Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Foundation. For more information on the Press Foundation, please click here.