Staten Island Advance
Internship Program for College Students
CONTACT:
Claire Regan
Associate Managing Editor
and Internship Coordinator
E-mail: regan@siadvance.com
OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM
The Staten Island Advance, a daily community newspaper covering New York City's greenest borough, offers a comprehensive internship program for undergraduate and graduate students.
Advance reporting interns get all the same opportunities as full-time staff reporters. They write obituaries and meeting reports, features and profiles. They conduct interviews and cover breaking news. They can get involved in photography, page design, editing and videography. All interns spend time working on the Web desk and learn how to post online news alerts and photo galleries.
Advance internships are unpaid, and it is preferred that students earn college credit for the experience. Students should be prepared to complete a minimum of two 8-hour shifts a week. One of those shifts should be an evening or weekend shift, when help is most needed in the newsroom. Because the newsroom is open 24/7, shifts are flexible and can work around a student's class schedule.
A Staten Island Advance internship is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that strengthens skills, opens doors and teaches students about city government and the world around them. The Advance newsroom is a teaching newsroom where growing good journalists is a priority.
INTERNSHIP POSITIONS
REPORTING. Interns can shadow reporters or team up with other interns on assignments until they feel confident covering news on their own. Reporting interns learn how to write features, profiles and meeting reports. They can write for all sections of the newspaper, including business, home, health and entertainment. Many interns get bylined stories on the front page. Interns are also trained in obituary writing, a craft that requires interviewing techniques, sensitivity and an obsession for accuracy - all the skills of a good journalist. Reporting interns are encouraged to show initiative by pitching story ideas to the city desk and to section editors.
PHOTOGRAPHY. Students with experience in photography can choose to work in the Advance's photo department. Assignments include features, breaking news, enterprise and online photo galleries. Photo interns learn how to gather information for captions, and work with reporters to coordinate content and design. Students with video experience can develop and edit videos to accompany breaking news and features.
WEB DESK. Students with an interest in online journalism can choose to work on the Advance's Web desk. They learn how to write and post news alerts in the Moveable Type program, how to upload photos and write captions, and how to monitor reader comments.
DESIGN AND GRAPHICS. Students with experience in visual journalism can work with the art director in designing pages and developing illustrations, maps and charts for the newspaper. A working knowledge of the design programs QuarkXPress and Adobe Illustrator is required.
COPY DESK. Students with experience in editing and proofreading can work with the Advance's copy chief. They learn how to line-edit live stories, write headlines, decks and captions, and read page proofs. A basic knowledge of Associated Press style is required.
HOW TO APPLY
Send resume, cover letter and 2-3 writing samples to Claire Regan. Applicants will be contacted to arrange an interview. E-mail inquiries welcome. No phone calls, please. Application packages can be e-mailed or snail-mailed.
Staten Island Advance
950 Fingerboard Rd.
Staten Island N.Y. 10305
