Overview
Connecticut Public is dedicated to building the journalism and communications field by designing paid internships for college students and early-career journalists. We provide hands-on work and professional development experiences in our radio, news, marketing, and digital departments. Working alongside top professionals in the field, interns are exposed to meaningful work in
- Radio broadcasting
- News writing, gathering, production and engineering
- Talk show and podcast writing, production and engineering
- Marketing and branding communications and campaigns
- Data analytics and digital media arts and production
Interns benefit from real-world media experience as they embark on careers, and in turn, Connecticut Public benefits from the creativity, curiosity, and energy that interns bring. This reciprocal relationship is practiced throughout the organization and makes for a valuable experience on both sides.
If you’re interested in funding a named internship…
What do I need to do to support a named internship?
Named internships require a gift of $5,000 with a minimum donor commitment of $5,000 per year for three years.
Do funders get to meet their interns?
To foster personal connections between interns and internship donors, Connecticut Public arranges meet and greets between interns and donors who fund internships.
During the COVID-10 pandemic, we have not held in-person introductions. We hope to get back to that soon! Meanwhile, Connecticut Public staff have facilitated Zoom meetings with interns, funders and senior staff responsible for managing the interns. These on-line video conferences provide an opportunity for interns to share their experiences with funders and for funders to get to know these young journalists, producers, content creators and marketing specialists-in-training.
How are funders recognized for their named internship?
Donors who fund named internships receive special recognition including:
- Feature stories in Connecticut Public communication vehicles including website and newsletter.
- Donation acknowledgement in promotional and recognition materials (with prior approval, of course).
- Funder name included on internship description available on Connecticut Public’s website and sent to university career centers.
Who can I contact at Connecticut Public to learn more about starting a named internship?
Contact a member of our Team to ask questions and take your first steps toward establishing a named scholarship:
Holly Winters,
Director of Major Gifts
Phone 860-275-7344
hwinters@ctpublic.org
Lisa Wrubleski,
Donor Relations & Planned Giving Manager
Phone 860-275-7250
lwrubleski@ctpublic.org
Deidre Tavera,
Chief Development Officer
Phone 860-275-7275
dtavera@ctpublic.org
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
If you’re interested in internships…
Who may apply for an internship position?
Connecticut Public internships are open to college students, age 18 or older, who are studying in the fields of communications, journalism, broadcasting, television production, digital arts, digital media production, data visualization, marketing or other related fields. Applicants must be current students seeking either an undergraduate or graduate degree or have graduated no more than 12-months prior to the start of the internship.
For more information or to ask additional questions, please contact:
Sonja Pasquantonio,
Director of Human Resources
spasquantonio@ctpublic.org
When are internship positions available?
Internships are offered in the Fall, Spring and Summer semesters. Fall and Spring internships are 8 weeks in length (summer interns may work 11 weeks). Most interns can expect to work up to 20 hours per week depending on school schedules and personal needs.
What do I need to do to apply for an internship?
To apply for the internship program, applicants must complete an online application. The application includes basic demographic information, academic information and qualifications, professional information, as well as requesting a cover letter, resume, references, and completion of a series of questions about current and future plans based on the internship to which one is applying. Applicants are encouraged to submit a work sample, academic or journalistic.
Where do I go to apply for an internship?
The application portal is open for a six-week period for each semester. Information about applying can be found at this link: https://www.ctpublic.org/internships/.
How are interns selected?
Applications are reviewed by the supervising manager or staff of the department where the intern is placed. Finalist candidates are selected for interviews, and internship placement decisions are made within 2-4 weeks of the internship start date. Offer letters are sent to selected candidates approximately 2 weeks before their start date. Internships are based at either the Connecticut Public main offices in Hartford or the Connecticut Public offices at Gateway Community College in New Haven.
What kinds of internships are available?
There are a variety of internships available depending on the semester. Here are a couple of examples:
Talk Show Production Intern: The Talk Show Production Interns assist CT Public Radio producers in the development of local flagship WNPR shows. Where We Live, The Colin McEnroe Show, Audacious, Seasoned and Disrupted are original talk programs produced by CT Public Radio. These shows are interactive, combining interviews, listener calls, emails and social media. Topics range from current events and politics to social trends and the arts.
Journalism Intern: These internships offer a chance for real-world experience in a busy radio newsroom. Interns work alongside experienced reporters and editors who aim to provide listeners with unbiased, accurate and comprehensive reporting. Interns learn to write for broadcast; record, edit and mix audio; accompany reporters on field assignments; observe and participate in daily news meetings; and assist anchors in producing newscasts. Advanced interns may be asked to attend news conferences, collect audio and/or conduct interviews in the field, or report, voice and mix stories for broadcast.
Again, information about available internships can be found at this link: https://www.ctpublic.org/internships/.
Where are former Connecticut Public interns now?
Interns who have completed an internship assignment at Connecticut Public have gone on to careers at A&E, NPR, ESPN, HEARST, Frontline, Yale, Bain & Company, BlueSky Productions, Dreamworks, USAID, Upright Citizens Brigade, and PBS & NPR member stations. In addition, our interns now serve as working filmmakers, animators, performers, professors, lawyers, and entrepreneurs.
What do former interns say about their Connecticut Public internship experience?
“Working at Connecticut Public Radio helped me learn the ins and outs of the public radio industry - an industry I was very eager to get involved with. The experience wouldn't have been the same at a smaller or bigger newsroom. Connecticut Public Radio is the perfect size for young, aspiring journalists to make their mark and establish their journalistic identity.”
– Paolo, Dow Jones Intern
“This internship was one of the best learning opportunities that I have ever been granted. I learned new methods of storytelling and was able to use technology that I would have never dreamed of being able to use. An internship with CT Public exposes you to real world stories and gives you the chance to work with skilled professionals to tell those stories.”
– Amar, Media Lab & Larry Lunden News Intern