The Washington Center for Politics and Journalism is offering 13 internships for students twice yearly.
These students must have an interest in writing about politics and related matters. Obligations include attending two seminars a week and the assigned major news bureau full-time internship.
The WCPJ is “a center where students learn a better understanding of our political process, which will greatly improve their ability to cover and interpret politics for readers,” said Terry Michael, executive director of WCPJ.
Students not only learn but meet with “lunch-time mentors” individually to share political journalism experience and receive career advice. Past mentors have been Tom Brokaw, Sam Donaldson and Tim Russert.
Speakers volunteer their time to help educate students on journalism and politics. Among past speakers are Ari Fleischer, Robert Dole, Rob Shapiro and Tim Russert.
When students aren’t learning, they are interning at an assigned major news bureau. These include the Cable News Network, National Public Radio, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Times and several others.
Each semester, September through December and February through May, students receive $3,000 to go toward their cost of living in Washington, D.C. Housing is the students’ responsibility.
There are many advantages to attending the Washington Center for Politics and Journalism.
“Leaving your sphere of friends and knowledge and going to one of the most pressure-filled parts of the world to do reporting will give journalism students an advantage,” Jeff Haws, UT journalism alumnus and past seminar attendant, said.
Allowing students to decide if journalism is the right career for them by working for a real news organization is the program’s biggest benefit, Haws said.
To apply for the internship, students should complete an application and include a resume and clippings. Students should also brush up on the names of their Senators and Representatives and know the Washington, D.C., area.
“I learned more from four months of being immersed in D.C. than I ever did in a classroom,” Haws said.
The deadline for applications is Oct. 31. To learn more about the Washington Center for Politics and Journalism, visit the group’s Web site at http://www.wcpj.org.
