The Center's public engagement and marketing interns produce promotional materials for events, such as the Wisconsin Watchdog Awards reception and dinner on April 19, 2018. The interns also assist with event planning, donor development, social media, newsletters, and tracking use and impact of the Center's stories. Lauren Justice for the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism
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The award-winning Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism is seeking to hire a public engagement and marketing intern for the 2018-19 academic year.

The paid intern will assist the Associate Director in engaging the Center’s audiences through social media, events and other outreach, and working to increase and track the reach and impact of WisconsinWatch.org reports.

The internship will begin in fall 2018 and may be extended for up to a full year.

Eligibility is limited to undergraduate and graduate students who are currently enrolled in or graduating in May 2018 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication, where the independent nonprofit and nonpartisan Center is based.

Pay is $11 an hour. The schedule is flexible and negotiable — about 20 hours per week during the academic year, and full-time if the internship continues in the summer.

The application deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, May 11, 2018.

The intern will be provided office space in Vilas Communication Hall.

Some travel around Wisconsin may be required. Access to a laptop is required.

Strong editorial and social media writing skills, keen attention to detail and an ability to work independently are desired. Excel, WordPress, Adobe, Mailchimp and basic design skills are preferred.

Applicants must submit the following in electronic form to Associate Director Lauren Fuhrmann at lfuhrmann@wisconsinwatch.org:

  • One-page cover letter stating why you should be selected for the position — your passion for public engagement and public service, writing and communication skills, digital media skills, and how this job enhances your career development.
  • Resume including relevant work experience — marketing communication (e.g., advertising, PR, digital media planning) and public engagement (e.g., nonprofit marketing, social marketing, election campaigns, public outreach); digital media skills; awards; GPA and relevant course list; three contacts for reference.
  • Up to five writing samples and/or design portfolio, and links to social media profiles that demonstrate your online presence.
  • Questions may be directed to Fuhrmann at lfuhrmann@wisconsinwatch.org, 608-963-1249, or in the Center’s office, 5006 Vilas Communication Hall.

The nonpartisan, nonprofit Center’s mission is “to increase the quality, quantity and understanding of investigative journalism to foster an informed citizenry and strengthen democracy.” The Center trains current and future generations of investigative journalists and is guided by its values: Protect the vulnerable. Expose wrongdoing. Explore solutions. It focuses on government integrity — particularly the role of money in politics and policymaking — and quality of life issues such as education, the environment, the economy, health and the justice system.

Since July 2009, the Center has produced more than 300 major news reports that have been cited, published or broadcast by more than 600 newspapers, radio and TV stations and news websites in Wisconsin and nationwide. The estimated audience of the Center’s reports exceeds 60 million people.

The Center has received accolades that include a first-place national award from the Society of Professional Journalists, a national award for collaborations with college students from The Associated Press Media Editors, two Golden Gavel Awards from the State Bar of Wisconsin, acceptance of its first documentary, Los Lecheros (Dairy Farmers) to screenings at a dozen film festivals nationwide, a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Los Lecheros, and 62 awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.

The Center’s former interns are thriving in journalism, public engagement and marketing, and related fields. Former public engagement and marketing interns have gone on to jobs in public engagement, membership services and development at Public Radio International, WisContext, the Better Government Association and the Institute for Nonprofit News. Investigative reporting interns have worked for news organizations across the nation and around the world, including the Wall Street Journal, Green Bay Press-Gazette, WisPolitics.com, USA Today, Voice of San Diego, NBC, Appleton Post-Crescent, The Nation, Yakima Herald Republic, Forbes, Business Insider and The Associated Press.

More details about the Center’s journalistic and financial operations are available at: https://wisconsinwatch.org/about/

The nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (www.WisconsinWatch.org) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Television, other news media and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.

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