Navigating Journalism Internships in Philadelphia: A Comprehensive Guide

For aspiring journalists in Philadelphia, internships are a vital stepping stone to launching a successful career. These opportunities provide invaluable hands-on experience, networking prospects, and a chance to apply classroom knowledge in a real-world setting. This article will explore the landscape of journalism internships in Philadelphia, outlining requirements, available programs, and resources to help students secure these coveted positions.

The Importance of Internships

Internships serve as a bridge between academic learning and professional practice. For journalism students, they offer a chance to:

Apply skills and knowledge learned in degree programs to a fast-paced work environment.
Gain practical experience in various aspects of journalism, such as writing, reporting, editing, and multimedia production.
Develop a professional portfolio with published work samples.
Network with industry professionals and build connections for future job opportunities.
Explore different career paths within journalism and identify areas of interest.

Key Players in Philadelphia Journalism Internships

Several organizations and institutions in Philadelphia offer journalism internships, each with unique focuses and requirements. These include:

News Organizations: Local newspapers, television stations, radio stations, and online news outlets provide internships in reporting, editing, photography, and multimedia production.
WHYY: This public media organization offers internships across various media platforms, including production, newsroom, promotions, and administration. WHYY internships are paid and offered to junior- and senior-year undergraduates, graduate and postgraduate students throughout the year.
Global Philadelphia Association (GPA): GPA offers internships focused on international journalism, heritage education, SDG project management, and events. These internships provide opportunities to write stories about Philadelphia's global connections, develop educational materials, support sustainability projects, and assist with event planning.
Temple University's Klein College of Media and Communication: Klein College provides career services, specialized programming, and internship support exclusively to its students. The college encourages students to participate in internships to apply their skills and knowledge in a real-world environment.
University of Pennsylvania: Communication majors at Penn have internship opportunities in various fields, including social media, advertising, journalism, television and film, publishing, and nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and political campaigns.
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP): Breakthrough Studios of the Child Life, Education and Creative Arts Therapy Department at CHOP offers an internship training program for college students. Interns gain hands-on studio experience producing live programming for Galaxy 51, CHOP’s closed-circuit television network, and assist in managing high-profile media events.

General Requirements and Application Process

While specific requirements vary depending on the organization and internship, some common elements include:

Academic Standing: Most internships require students to be enrolled in a relevant degree program, such as journalism, communications, or media studies. Some internships may be open to undergraduate, graduate, or postgraduate students. Junior standing is often a minimum requirement.
GPA: A minimum GPA may be required to demonstrate academic achievement.
Application Materials: A complete application typically includes a resume, cover letter, writing samples, and letters of recommendation. Some organizations may also require a short video clip or essay.
Deadlines: Application deadlines vary depending on the internship and the organization's schedule. It's essential to check the specific deadlines for each internship and submit all materials on time.
Interviews: Selected candidates may be invited for an interview to assess their skills, experience, and suitability for the internship.

Specific Internship Programs and Requirements

WHYY Internships

WHYY offers internships to junior- and senior-year undergraduates, graduate, and postgraduate students throughout the year. These internships are paid and offered during the Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters. Each session is a 12-week program with interns working 16 hours a week for all internships, except Newsroom internships, which are 20 hours a week.

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Required Application Materials:

Resume
Cover letter
Writing samples
A letter of recommendation

International applicants must have a valid visa. WHYY also reserves the right to request a state Criminal Background Check (CBC) and a Child Abuse History Clearance (CAC) upon acceptance into the internship program.

Global Philadelphia Association (GPA) Internships

GPA offers unpaid internships with a $50 monthly travel stipend. Internships are offered year-round and require a minimum three-month stay with a 12 to 15-hour weekly time commitment. Interns join the GPA staff in their Center City offices for a minimum of one day a week.

Available Internship Positions:

Marketing and Business Development Intern
Emerging International Journalism Intern (EIJP)
Heritage Education Intern
SDG Project Management Fellowship
Events Intern

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) - Breakthrough Studios Internship

This internship is offered three times a year and provides students with hands-on studio experience producing live programming for Galaxy 51, CHOP’s closed-circuit television network.

Application Deadlines:

Fall Session (August 31 - December 18): Application postmark deadline: June 15
Spring Session (January 4 - May 7): Application postmark deadline: October 15

All application materials must be postmarked by the stated application deadline to be considered a candidate.

Temple University's Klein College of Media and Communication

Klein College strongly encourages students to participate in internships and provides support and guidance through its Career Services.

Key Resources:

Assessments of professional direction
Job postings for students and alumni
Listings of job search resources
Support for job search strategies
Workshops on resume optimization
Networking events with industry professionals

University of Pennsylvania - Communication Internships

To receive academic credit for a department-approved communications internship, students must complete COMM 3091. Students must request approval BEFORE starting their summer communications internship. Fall and spring semester communications internships must last the full length of the semester and require 10-15 hours of work per week. In-person internships are strongly preferred for COMM 3091.

Tips for Securing a Journalism Internship

Start Early: Begin your internship search well in advance of the application deadlines.
Build Your Resume and Portfolio: Create a professional resume that highlights your skills, experience, and education. Develop a portfolio of your best writing samples, preferably published work.
Network: Attend industry events, connect with professionals on LinkedIn, and reach out to alumni for informational interviews.
Tailor Your Application: Customize your resume and cover letter for each internship, highlighting the skills and experience that are most relevant to the specific position.
Practice Your Interview Skills: Prepare for common interview questions and practice your responses.
Seek Guidance: Utilize career services at your university or college for resume reviews, mock interviews, and internship search assistance.
Meet the Eligibility Requirements: Once a Comm Major has secured an internship offer that meets the eligibility requirements, the student should apply for approval by completing the forms provided by their university. Students should submit these forms as early as possible, but no later than the first day of the semester in which they want to take COMM 3091.
Obtain a Letter of Intent: Attain a letter of intent to hire from the company or organization with which you are working.
Faculty Supervision: Seek out a supervising faculty member in the Department who you would like to work with.
Complete the Application: Submit the complete application (letter of intent to hire, Internship Proposal, and approval from supervising faculty).

Academic Credit for Internships

Many universities and colleges offer academic credit for internships. At the University of Pennsylvania, to receive academic credit for a department-approved communications internship, students must complete COMM 3091. At JPW, JPW majors and Journalism minors are required to do an internship with a professional media organization in order to graduate.

To receive academic credit, students typically need to:

Enroll in an internship course.
Complete a certain number of on-the-job hours.
Submit a written assignment or portfolio.
Receive approval from a faculty supervisor.

Resources for Finding Internships

University Career Services: Utilize the career services departments at your university or college for internship listings, resume reviews, and career counseling.
Online Job Boards: Explore online job boards such as Indeed, LinkedIn, and JournalismJobs.com for internship opportunities.
Professional Organizations: Check the websites of professional journalism organizations such as the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) for internship listings and resources.
Company Websites: Visit the websites of news organizations and media companies in Philadelphia to check for internship opportunities.
Networking: Reach out to your network of contacts in the journalism industry for leads on internships.

JPW Internship Requirements

JPW places considerable emphasis on the value of practical experience as preparation for entry into professional media. JPW majors and Journalism minors are required to do an internship with a professional media organization in order to graduate. The internship is optional for Professional Writing minors. The College allows students to take up to four-course units of internship/independent study during the course of their college career. JPW requires that a student have junior standing in order to do the required JPW 499 internship. All proposed internships must be approved by the department chair. The internship may be paid or unpaid and can take place at any time during the year. The student arranges the hours for the internship with the employer.

Alumni Connections

The Journalism Major creates lasting connections among alumni, colleagues, faculty, parents, and students. Upon graduation, you’ll automatically become a part of the Temple University Alumni Association and can remain a vital part of the Temple community for life. There are more than 20,000 graduates of Klein College residing across the country and around the world. As leaders in their fields, our trailblazing alumni have achieved high levels of success. Klein College alumni are advertising and public relations executives; CEOs and entrepreneurs; executives at CBS, Fox News, and Warner Bros.; general managers and other key players at cable, radio, and TV stations; national on-air talent; professors, researchers, and scholars; and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists.

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