English majors are encouraged to do an internship as part of their education at UMD. Such work has many benefits:
- It gives you hands-on work experience before you enter—or as you’re entering—the job market.
- It helps you figure out what you want to do—or what you don’t want to do!—after college.
- It strengthens practical job skills that don’t necessarily get much exercise in college.
- It builds your resume and enlarges your network of contacts within an employment field you may decide to enter.
Through internships, English students often discover how much they already know and how many useful skills they have already acquired, even in areas that are not obvious career choices for them. They also learn what they can do to become more competent and competitive in the employment field they hope to enter.
English students intern in a variety of positions, from publishing to public relations, and engage in numerous activities, from writing to research to event planning and more.
Ready to learn more?
Click here to download the Placement Agreement.
Internship Coordinator: Kathryn Van Wert
Internship Application Packet
In creating this packet, you are building a portfolio that you may tailor for any internship or job application you may prepare now or in the future; once you have decided which internship to apply for, you should customize your portfolio so that it is appropriate to the particular position you seek.
A copy of this Application Packet must also be placed on file with the Internship Coordinator Katie Van Wert, before you contact potential internship providers.
The Application Packet must include, at minimum:
- A letter of application (designed either for a specific internship or as an all-purpose application letter, to be later customized for each position you seek)
- A copy of your current UMD transcript (unofficial is ok)
- A copy of your current resume, with the names and contact information of three people who have agreed to serve as references
- A list of learning objectives
- Samples of your work
If you need advice about putting this Application Packet together, please contact the Internship Coordinator. Your advisor may also be able to help you with the letter of application.
Learning Objectives
As part of the Application Packet, students prepare a list of learning objectives and expectations for their internship. As you identify your personal goals and expectations, please keep in mind the following course objectives established by the department for our internship program.
- Internships provide English students with opportunities to apply and strengthen practical abilities they have developed at UMD, particularly those emphasized in their major and related areas of academic interests.
- Internships provide English students with a chance to forge links between their academic interests and the world of work and community. A major objective for the internship experience is to foster the pubic engagement of students in ways that are meaningfully connected to their academic interests and to their career goals, whenever possible.
- Internships contribute to English students’ personal growth by strengthening and clarifying work-related values such as ethical leadership, fair-mindedness, and integrity. Internships also help to develop self-awareness, self-confidence, self-management, maturity, initiative, and ability to work with others.
Samples of Your Work
Your Application Packet should include at least one example of your writing, plus any other samples of work that is evidence of your abilities, particularly as they relate to the desired internship position. Examples include links or url addresses for web sites you’ve created; printed publications you have produced; photographs, illustrations, or other artwork that you have done; reviews or other evaluations of performances, etc.
Completing Your Internship
You’ve done all the work to interview for and secure your internship. The Placement Agreement has been signed by you, your supervisor, and the Internship Coordinator. You are ready to begin work. Following are points to keep in mind and requirements you must meet in order to successfully complete your internship for credit.
Remember: Your internship is your opportunity to gain valuable professional experience. Just as in any job, your attitude, your work habits, and willingness to learn are your biggest assets when you begin.
Remember: You are representing yourself, your employer, and UMD when you are on the job. You have agreed to the terms of the Placement Agreement and it is expected that you will deliver your highest quality of work.
Requirement 1: By about a third of the way through your internship, submit your Reflective Activity Assignment #1 and set up an appointment to meet with the Internship Coordinator. For the specific due date and detailed instructions, see the Reflective Activity Assignment instructions sent to you by the Internship Coordinator at the start of the internship.
Requirement 2: Have your supervisor complete the Midterm Evaluation Form and submit it to the Internship Coordinator. See Placement Agreement for specific due date.
Requirement 3: About two thirds of the way through your internship, submit your second Reflective Activity Assignment and set up a meeting with the Internship Coordinator, if desired. For the specific due date and detailed instructions, see the Reflective Activity Assignment instructions sent to you by the Internship Coordinator at the start of the internship.
Requirement 4: At the end of your internship, have your supervisor complete the Final Evaluation Form and submit it directly to the Internship Coordinator. See Placement agreement for specific due date.
Requirement 5: Submit your third Reflective Activity Assignment to the Internship Coordinator. For the specific due date, see the Reflective Activity Assignment instructions sent to you by the Internship Coordinator at the start of the internship.
Internship Coordinator: Katie Van Wert
Eligibility & Planning
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for an internship you must
- be an undergraduate English Major (B.A.) who has completed 60 hours of course work (you will register for ENGL 4097)
Planning Your Internship
Plan Ahead:
Set up your internship several months in advance of when you want to start it. For instance, if you wish to do an internship during spring semester, you should start the process by mid-October. It can take time to arrange a good internship.
Planning Steps:
- First, check the Eligibility Requirements above to make sure you will be eligible to do an internship when you want to.
- Then browse through our Internship Sites to see what appeals to you.
- Meet with the Internship Coordinator to determine which site(s) you will apply to; download the Placement Agreement.
- Contact potential Internship Sites and submit application.
- After securing an internship, submit a copy of your completed Placement Agreement to the Internship Coordinator.
Internships for English Majors
English majors often express interest in doing internships in the field of publishing, so we have made a special effort to develop partnerships with a number of editors and small presses in the Duluth-Superior area. These publishing internships are available to any eligible student in the UMD English B.A. and M.A. programs. They can provide excellent opportunities to learn more about the field of publishing and to develop skills in editing, proofreading, marketing and publicity, production, design and development through hands-on experience.
Some internships are set up with a certain department, such as Editorial or Marketing, while other internships are less structured and provide opportunities for a diverse range of publishing responsibilities. Areas and skills you may be able to develop through an internship include:
- Design: Learn about designing layouts and graphics, coordinating artwork, artist contributor database update, and coordinating photo shoots.
- Development: Learn about publishing budgets and fundraising, researching and writing grants, supporting individual donors, soliciting sponsorship for events and programming, donor database upkeep, preparing mailings, and coordinating with volunteers, donors, and vendors.
- Editing: Learn about proofreading, fact checking, editing manuscripts and promotional materials, working with authors and agents, production schedules, handling permissions requests, and manuscript database upkeep.
- Event planning: Learn how to plan and conduct events such as book signings, fundraisers and outreach events, author readings, and book fairs.
- Manuscript evaluation:Learn about identifying and evaluating manuscripts with publishing potential; preparing and sending manuscript rejections, requests, and submission guidelines.
- Marketing and Publicity: Learn about marketing and publicizing books, writing and sending pitches, arranging author tours and interviews, creating and distributing press releases, filing and sending out review copies, securing and tracking reviews, revising and editing catalogs, creating promotional materials such as advertisements and posters.
- Production: Learn about producing the entire physical object of the book, from its layout to its cover, type, and interior art.
Internship Sites
Listed below are businesses or organizations that offer, or may consider offering, internships to UMD English majors and graduate students. Contact the Internship Coordinator at [email protected] prior to contacting any field agencies directly. Note: All italicized and labeled are businesses or organizations that offer publishing internships.
| Company or organization: | Holy Cow! Press Duluth, Minnesota |
|---|---|
Description: | Holy Cow! Press publishes literary works of writers primarily in the Upper Midwest. Owner Jim Perlman's vision and careful selection of titles has, over the past 32 years, led to Holy Cow! being called “one of the best small presses in America.” Nineteen of Holy Cow! Press' books have been finalists for the Northeast Minnesota Book Award; three of the poetry titles received the top award. For more information, contact Professor Evan Brier at [email protected]. |
Potential Internship Activities: | Preliminary reading of manuscripts and preparation of potential responses to submitters. For more information, contact Professor Evan Brier at [email protected]. |
Recommended for: | Mature graduate students who are particularly interested in literary analysis. |
| Lake Superior Writers | |
|---|---|
Company or organization: | Lake Superior Writers Duluth, Minnesota |
Description: | The mission of Lake Superior Writers is to support the artistic development of writers and foster a vibrant literary arts community. LSW is a member-supported organization, offering mentoring, workshops, reading and networking opportunities to writers at all levels, from the experienced, published writer to the emerging artist. LSW activities include the Duluth Poet Laureate, an annual writing contest, writing workshops, regular genre-based writing groups, poetry readings, and a monthly e-calendar of events. |
Potential Internship Activities: | Interns at Lake Superior Writers contribute to the organization’s efforts through activities such as assisting with the annual area writing contest, working on the website and improvements to digital communications, planning and implementing events such as readings and fundraisers. The focus of each internship will depend on the skills and interest of the intern and on the current needs of the organization. For more information, contact Professor Evan Brier at [email protected]. |
Recommended for: | English majors and graduate students with an interested in supporting the local literary arts community. |
| New Moon Girl Media | |
|---|---|
Company or organization: | New Moon Girl Media Duluth, Minnesota |
Description: | New Moon Girl Media is an online community and print magazine for girls ages 8 to 12, dedicated to helping girls discover and honor their true selves. Safe, educational, and advertising-free, New Moon Girl Media helps girls develop their full potential through self-discovery, creativity, and community. Through sharing their own poetry, artwork, videos, and other creations; engaging in meaningful, adult-moderated discussions; and challenging cultural stereotypes of physical beauty, members build self-esteem and positive body image. New Moon Girl Media is for every girl who wants her voice heard, her dreams taken seriously, and her creativity celebrated. |
Potential Internship Activities: | Past internship opportunities have included multi-media editorial internships. For more information, contact Professor Evan Brier at [email protected]. |
Recommended for: | Self-motivated individuals interested in youth education and/or women’s studies. |
| Savage Press | |
|---|---|
Company or organization: | Savage Press, Inc. Superior, Wisconsin |
Description: | Savage Press dates to 1989 and has published more than 100 nonfiction, fiction, and poetry titles. As a small publisher, owner Michael Savage uses guerilla marketing strategies to create demand for his titles and take them to market. Arranging book signings, sending out review copies, appearing on talk shows, and meeting the public at book fairs are among the activities of this publisher. |
Potential Internship Activities: | Student interns will gain knowledge of all of the activities that go on in a publishing house, learning the language of publishing as well as how this publisher approaches taking a book to market. He or she may have the opportunity to execute marketing tactics, practice writing letters and other documents, and create promotional materials for specific titles. A knowledge of Pagemaker is helpful. For more information, contact Professor Evan Brier at [email protected]. |
Recommended for: | Professional Writing minors and English MA graduate students with interest in Publishing & Print Culture. |
| The Duluth Depot | |
|---|---|
Company or organization: | The Duluth Depot Duluth, Minnesota |
Description: | The Duluth Depot is home to the Duluth Art Institute, the Duluth Children’s Museum, the Duluth Playhouse, the North short Scenic Railroad, the Lake Superior Railroad Museum, and the St. Louis County Historical Society Museum. |
Potential Internship Activities: | The Duluth Depot is looking for interns to help with public history projects, including writing and proofreading the Depot’s quarterly magazine, The Junction; researching and writing a tour book currently being composed; grant writing. For more information, contact Professor Evan Brier at [email protected]. |
Recommended for: | Mature, focused individuals with some interest in history. |
| Tight Squeek Press | |
|---|---|
Company or organization: | The Tight Squeek Press Duluth, Minnesota |
Description: | The Tight Squeek Press is a letterpress shop and bookbindery specializing in limited edition hand work. Manuscripts and art work are both accepted from outside sources and are generated in house, and generally include multicolor block-printed cards, prints and fine press books. All work is performed in-house. |
Potential Internship Activities: | Potential internship activities include hand composition using lead type; letterpress operation including set-up, proofing, corrections and make-ready, edition runs; paper cutting, tearing, folding; and hand binding including gathering, sewing, backing, cover fabrication, and book assembly. For more information, contact Professor Evan Brier at [email protected]. |
Recommended for: | Students best suited for this placement would have strong interests in art and literature, with creative skills and dedication toward the application and exercise of fine craftmanship. |
| Tweed Museum of Art, University of Minnesota Duluth | |
|---|---|
Company or organization: | Tweed Museum of Art, University of Minnesota Duluth |
Description: | With a permanent collection of over 7,000 art objects representing a range of cultures and periods of art history, the Tweed Museum of Art on the campus of the University of Minnesota Duluth is a major cultural and educational resource for the Upper Midwest. |
Potential Internship Activities: | Interns may assist in art research and writing, exhibition writing and design, marketing including social media, and special events planning. More information and application form are available from the Tweed. |
Recommended for: | Students interested in art, history, culture and museum studies. |
| Whole Person Associates | |
|---|---|
Company or organization: | Whole Person Associates Duluth, Minnesota |
Description: | Whole Person Associates publishes stress management and wellness promotion resources and self-care products. |
| > Potential Internship Activities: | Whole Person Associates is looking for interns to do proofreading, editing, social media marketing, research, and more. |
Recommended for: | Ideal candidates would be able to work afternoon hours and would have an interest in learning about a small publishing firm and the kinds of books produced by Whole Person Associates. |
| Duluth Playhouse | |
|---|---|
Company or organization: | Duluth Playhouse Duluth, Minnesota |
Description: | Founded in 1914, the Duluth Playhouse is one of the nation's oldest community theaters and produces a year-round season of dramas, musicals, and children's productions. Its mission is to offer exceptional entertainment, training, and performance opportunities in theater arts that may inspire, challenge, and engage residents of Minnesota’s Northeast Region. The Playhouse incorporates the Children’s Theatre Arts program, The Play Ground Theatre, and the new Conservatory for the Performing Arts and is located in the St. Louis County Heritage and Arts Center in downtown Duluth. Internships are offered in summer and during fall and spring semesters. |
Potential Internship Activities: | Duties include assisting with marketing, promotion, and advertising of playhouse events. For more information, contact Tessa Lenneman, Promotions Manager, at [email protected] |
Recommended for: | This internship position is recommended for English majors with an interest in theater and/or marketing, promotion, and advertising. An interest in theater arts is desirable. |
| Lake Superior Magazine | |
|---|---|
Company or organization: | Lake Superior Magazine Duluth, Minnesota |
Description: | Lake Superior Magazine, a family-owned publication, is published for the audience that resides in and visits the region surrounding Lake Superior, including Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. It balances need-to-know and want-to-know solid journalism with lighter lifestyle, recreational, profile, and travel articles. |
Potential Internship Activities: | Internships at Lake Superior Magazine provide an introduction to the field of publishing, giving student-interns experience in all parts of the business, from planning to production and marketing. The full experience will reflect the intern's skill level and will include shadowing or interviewing in each of the departments--publisher, advertising, marketing, customer service, and circulation--to give a complete picture of the business. Lake Superior Magazine will accept at least one intern each semester, generally for 8 weeks at 20 hours a week. |
Recommended for: | The successful intern working onsite at Lake Superior Magazine will be a mature, conscientious individual, interested in learning about the publishing of a bimonthly magazine and willing to sign a confidentiality agreement. Strong communication skills and work ethic are important. |
Obtaining Your Internship
Once you’ve established your eligibility to do an internship and had an initial meeting with the Internship Coordinator, you’re ready to actually seek your internship. You and the Internship Coordinator will have decided which internship site you will apply to.
Here are the steps to take next:
- Make initial contact (by email, phone, or letter) with one or more potential internship host, asking if they would be willing to interview you.
- Tailor your Internship Application Packet for the particular business or organization to which you are applying. Make sure you include copies of the Placement Agreement, Midterm Evaluation Form, and Final Evaluation Form; this will help you explain what is expected of your supervisor during the internship. Bring the Intern Application Packet with you to your interview or send it in advance.
- Put your best foot forward during the interview—remember, the goal is to get them to offer you an internship!—but also use the interview as an opportunity to decide whether this particular internship is right for you.
- If the provider offers you an internship, fill in the appropriate areas on the Placement Agreement and ask the supervisor to complete and sign the agreement. Note that your host will be listing specific tasks that will be required of you during your internship, and that the exact dates for your mid-term and final evaluations must be filled in. This is also the time to discuss the hours and duration of your internship, and whether or not this will be a paid or unpaid internship. Then take the signed Placement Agreement to the Internship Coordinator, who will file it with other materials about your internship.
- Register for course credits for the internship by requesting permission from the Internship Coordinator. The following will help you determine the number of credits you should register for:
- 45-hour internship (3 hrs/wk for 15 weeks or equivalent) = 1 credit
- 90-hour internship (6 hrs/wk for 15 weeks or equivalent) = 2 credits
- 135-hour internship (9 hrs/wk for 15 weeks or equivalent) = 3 credits
- 180-hour internship (12 hrs/wk for 15 weeks or equivalent)= 4 credits
Reflective Activity Assignments
Reflective Activity Assignment #1
In approximately one page (325 words), describe and comment on your internship experience so far. What tasks or duties have you performed? What have you learned? What has challenged or surprised you? What has been most satisfying or rewarding?
This assignment will be treated confidentially by the Internship Coordinator; it will not be shared with the internship host.
Reflective Activity Assignment #1 must be submitted to the Internship Coordinator about one third of the way through the internship. At the same time, the intern must also set up an appointment to meet with the Internship Coordinator.
Reflective Activity Assignment #2
In complete sentences, identify five or more things that you know now, which you didn’t know before starting your internship.
This assignment will be treated confidentially by the Internship Coordinator; it will not be shared with the internship host.
Reflective Activity Assignment #2 must be submitted to the internship coordinator about two thirds of the way through the internship. If a meeting with the Internship Coordinator is desired, an appointment should be made.
Reflective Activity Assignment #3
In an essay of four to five pages (1300 to 1625 words), reflect on and evaluate your internship experience. You will need to cover all of the following:
- What you have learned, very specifically, including such things as technical skills, communication skills, "people skills," and the like.
- What strengths and weaknesses you had when you started and finished the internship.
- How you contributed to the organization or business during your internship.
- How you feel the business or organization helps interns have a good experience, and how the organization might have improved your learning experience.
- How much the internship has helped you to link your academic interests to the “real world” beyond college.
This assignment will be treated confidentially by the Internship Coordinator; it will not be shared with the internship host.