The award-winning Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism is seeking applicants for the following paid internships:
- One full-time investigative reporting intern, beginning in June.
- One part-time public engagement and marketing intern, beginning in March.
- One full-time public engagement and marketing intern, beginning in June.
The reporting intern will produce investigative stories using skills that may include photography and data analysis and visualization.
The public engagement and marketing interns will play a key role in social media efforts, event planning, fundraising and tracking the distribution and impact of the Center’s work.
Both types of internships may be extended for up to a full year.
Eligibility is limited to undergraduate and graduate students who are enrolled, at the time of application, in the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication, where the independent nonpartisan and nonprofit Center is based.
Pay for both internships is $11.50 an hour. The full-time summer schedule is about 40 hours per week and is flexible. The part-time schedule, also flexible, is up to 20 hours a week during the school year, with the possibility of increasing to full-time in the summer.
The application deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.
Interns are provided office space in Vilas Communication Hall.
Some travel around Wisconsin may be required. A laptop is required.
About the investigative reporting internships
Reporting interns receive intensive training and experience in interviewing, researching and writing. They work with the Center’s staff and media partners to produce high-impact investigative journalism on government integrity and quality of life issues.
In-depth, investigative and computer-assisted reporting skills are preferred. Web, audio, video and photography skills are desirable.
To apply for a reporting internship, applicants must submit the following in electronic form to Managing Editor Dee J. Hall at dhall@wisconsinwatch.org:
- One-page letter describing why you should be selected for the position.
- Resume including work and journalistic experience, awards, GPA and three references.
- Up to five examples of published or broadcast work. Students who want to do photos, videos or other multimedia should provide portfolios.
- One story pitch, no longer than three paragraphs. A pitch is not a topic. It should summarize the story in a single sentence, and explain who is affected by the situation, why the public should care and how you plan to get it done.
About the public engagement and marketing internships
Public engagement and marketing interns work closely with Associate Director Lauren Fuhrmann and receive intensive training and experience in fundraising, engaging the Center’s audiences through social media, events and other outreach, and working to increase and track the reach and impact of the Center’s reports. Strong editorial and social media writing skills, keen attention to detail and an ability to work independently are desired. G Suite (Google), Excel, WordPress, Adobe, MailChimp and basic design skills are preferred.
To apply for a public engagement and marketing internship, applicants must submit the following in electronic form to Public Engagement and Marketing Assistant Emily Neinfeldt at eneinfeldt@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 about any of the internships may be directed to Executive Director Andy Hall at ahall@wisconsinwatch.org, 608-262-3642, or in the Center’s office, 5006 Vilas Communication Hall.
About the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism
The Center began operating in 2009. It increases the quality, quantity and understanding of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future generations of investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy. The Center is guided by its values: Protect the vulnerable. Expose wrongdoing. Explore solutions. It focuses on government integrity and quality of life issues such as the environment, education, the economy, health, and the justice system.
The Center collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Television, the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism & Mass Communication, where it is housed, and news organizations in Wisconsin and across the nation.
The Center’s reports are published on WisconsinWatch.org, the Center’s Web site; and are made available for free to print, online and broadcast news organizations. Since 2009, the Center has produced more than 350 major news reports that have been cited, published or broadcast by more than 800 newspapers, radio and TV stations and news websites in Wisconsin and nationwide. The estimated audience of the Center’s reports exceeds 73 million people.
Stories produced by the Center’s staff, interns and classroom collaborations have received professional recognition, including 62 Milwaukee Press Club awards, a national Sigma Delta Chi/Society of Professional Journalists award and a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award.
The Center’s 41 former interns and fellows are thriving in journalism and related fields. They have worked for news organizations across the nation and around the world, including the Wall Street Journal,the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The Telegraph, Business Insider, Vox, The Progressive, Better Government Association, Institute for Nonprofit News, Public Radio Exchange, Wisconsin Public Radio, WisContext, WisPolitics.com, NBC, Appleton Post-Crescent, The Nation, The Associated Press and others.
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.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
