Undergraduate
Publications Unit Production Internship
Internship Type: Publishing
3 or 6 credit hour for-credit internship (via ENG 398 or ENG 498)
Internship Directors: Steve Halle and Phil Spotswood
Internships are offered in fall, spring, or summer semesters
Internship Description
During the internship, Publishing Studies students will fulfill the practical requirement of the major at the Publications Unit by experiencing hands-on activity in editing, desktop publishing, typesetting, marketing, content management, distribution, and other tasks in support of affiliated literary and scholarly journals, newsletters, and presses.
Publications Unit interns work under the mentorship and supervision of staff and as part of small, collaborative cohorts of up to ten students. Intern cohorts meet with staff on Fridays for group-based instruction on project-specific debriefs and tasks, guided or supported workshops, discussions about professional practices or issues in contemporary publishing, and career development workshops.
Between intern cohort meetings, interns complete additional independent work at the Publications Unit during schedule hours. Independent work may include hands-on project work in the above areas, enrichment activities, professional development activities, and/or other tasks as assigned by staff.
Internships are open to all Department of English students, but preference will be given to students who are required to complete internships to graduate.
Weekly Time Commitments and Workload
- Intern cohorts schedule time together on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Independent hands-on work in proofreading, editing, production, design and layout, marketing, advertising, permissions, graphic work, archiving, database management/data entry, or bulk distribution/mailing
- Enrichment Activity and Professional Development
- Career Development Workshops (nine workshops held during scheduled meeting times)
Requirements
- For the best experience, prospective undergraduate interns are strongly encouraged to complete the following courses before applying at the Publications Unit: ENG 254, ENG 253, ENG 249, ENG 349, ENG 227, ENG 358, ENG 350, ENG 353.
- Prospective undergraduate interns may express interest by contacting PublicationsUnit@illinoisstate.edu.
- Prospective graduate interns must show evidence in writing of previous involvement in editing and publishing, demonstrate how publishing work relates to their career planning and goals, and confirm that the internship fits into their plan of study.
- Interns must register for ENG 398 or ENG 498 with the Department of English Internship Coordinator, who is the instructor of record for the course.
Bloomington Junior High School Seventh Grade Poetry Club Internship
Internship Type: Community Outreach and Service Learning
3 credit hour for-credit internship
Internship Director: Steve Halle
Internships are offered fall-spring, spring-summer, or summer-fall
Internship Description
During the one-semester internship in the fall or spring, the intern will be responsible for co-coordinating the Bloomington Junior High School Seventh Grade Poetry Club in Bloomington, Illinois with Steve Halle, director of the Publications Unit, and BJHS teachers. The intern will research, conceptualize, write, and deliver weekly workshops in poetry writing, poetry performance, and/or bookmaking for seventh graders involved in the club during the BJHS lunch period (thirty-minute period, between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., specific time TBA) at Bloomington Junior High School in Bloomington, Illinois.
In addition to working with students and faculty mentors at BJHS, the intern will also compile, type, and edit student writing, and seek out contests and publishing opportunities for seventh graders in all genres of writing. The intern will also collaborate on community organizing and cohosting public events related to Poetry Club and may be involved in proposal writing related to grants and fundraising activities.
Weekly Time Commitments and Workload
- Planning and preparation for workshop: 3.5 hours/week (includes assigned readings, writing out exercises, preparing materials)
- Workshop facilitation: 1.5 hour/week (includes facilitating workshop and travel to and from BJHS site)
- Administrative work: 5 hours/week (includes meeting with internship director, journaling about activity effectiveness, typing and editing student work, seeking publications and award opportunities, creating a database and calendar of publishing and award opportunities, event planning, community organizing, and proposal writing, based on weekly needs)
Requirements
- Interns should have completed either English 227 and 247.01 OR English 254 and 227 and in most cases will be either Publishing Studies or Creative Writing majors. Interested students in other areas of the department will be considered if they have an appropriate creative writing/publishing background.
- Prospective Interns are required to complete the following courses before applying at the Publications Unit: ENG 254, ENG 253
- Intern prospects should have an interest in poetry writing, teaching, community organizing, and working in nonprofit educational endeavors.
- Intern prospects can apply by contacting Steve Halle by phone 309-438-7481 or email cshalle@illinoisstate.edu to set up a formal interview.
- Intern prospects need to interview for the position by August 1 for a fall internship or December 1 for a spring internship and will be hired on a rolling basis.
- Interns must be able to travel to BJHS on their own.
Evaluation and Output
- Compilation of revised writing activities at the end of the semester
- Reflective journal entry after each activity that documents effectiveness
- Database and calendar of publishing and award opportunities for young writers