Jim Welch Newsroom Internship Program

Brief Overview

VTDigger has been Vermont’s essential source of news and investigation for 16 years, serving as a model for sustainable, nonprofit journalism.

Application Information

VTDigger considers applications for the Jim Welch Internship Program from early-career journalists on a rolling basis. Internships may require different or additional duties.

• Produce clear, concise stories reflecting all credible sides of an issue, generally at a pace of a few stories per week.
• Communicate clearly, respectfully and proactively with sources and colleagues.
• Engage in an active exchange of learning with your editor, mentor and other colleagues.
• Provide news coverage in an aggressive, responsible and fair pursuit of the truth.
• Cultivate news sources that can lead to future coverage.
• Make effective use of data, public records requests and narrative storytelling devices to enrich coverage of key topics.
• Stay abreast of other state and local news outlets.
• Apply photographic and multimedia skills such as audio and video wherever possible.
• Take part in exchange of information in news meetings that reflects the newsroom culture of collegial cooperation and professional support.
• Consult with editors before granting anonymity to news sources.
• Strive to avoid errors but be sure to alert an editor in a timely fashion when a correction or clarification might be warranted.
• Take seriously what you are doing, but don’t forget to have fun along the way.

Requirements

Internships at VTDigger are paid positions with a current range of $17-$18/hour. Students receiving school credit also may be considered. Candidates should plan to live in Vermont during their internship.

Application Process

• Pay attention to the specific start and end dates for each period of hiring.
• Indicate in your cover letter which period you’re applying for and what dates you expect to be available.
• Submit the following with your application:
• Resume
• Cover letter
• Send three reporting samples as PDFs to hr@vtdigger.org.