The Nebraska Press Association Foundation Inc. is launching a new Summer Internship Scholarship program at community newspapers.
The Foundation will award five $1,000 scholarships to Nebraska college students who complete an eight-week summer internship at a weekly newspaper in Nebraska.
The program was adopted as a way to introduce Nebraska journalism students to the challenges and rewards of community journalism, and give students hands-on experiences that will allow them to enhance their skills. It is the hope that with this type of experience under their belts, former interns will someday want to become more involved in community journalism either by going to work full time at a Nebraska weekly or possibly buying a Nebraska weekly, continuing the vital role newspapers play in our rural communities.
This program is only available to students enrolled in a Nebraska college or university and majoring in journalism or communications. While newspapers will not be selected until March 1 and announced thereafter, students can expect the newspapers to agree to pay a living wage and provide a housing stipend. The internship will provide hands-on experience in the newspaper operations in every aspect of journalism — reporter, photographer, videographer, graphic artist or advertising. Each employer will define the specifics of the job.
Once the internship is successfully completed, the student will receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Foundation to assist with the next semester’s tuition. Internships will take place in the summer of 2017, with the selection process being completed no later than the end of March.
Students interested in participating in the program will be invited to submit letters, resumes and work samples to one of the participating newspapers once they are announced at the beginning of March.