NEXT (Northwestern Externship Program) -- Externships in Journalism
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Please refer to the reply code below each externship when you are completeing your application. Click here to return to the NEXT homepage.
Arizona
Tucson, AZ
Available: Opportunity for a student to go out with me to find sources, conduct interviews and see and experience the newsroom. Reply Code: JOU06
Phoenix, AZ
Available: Opportunity for a student to shadow a Phoenix-based sports correspondent for the Associated Press. I hosted a student in the program last summer, and she attended an Arizona Diamondbacks game with me and shadowed me on the job for a day. I would expect to have a similar experience with any students this time, although I don't know if it would involve covering a game. I think it would most benefit a student who is considering entering the PRINT journalism field. Reply Code: JOU19
California
San Francisco, CA
Available: Opportunity for a student to spend the day with an executive editor of lifestyle and children's books at a book publisher specializing in highly illustrated and branded books. See interaction with designers, production, and sales. Also talk to an assistant editor (Northwestern English major) to find out about breaking into publishing in both the LA and San Francisco markets. Reply Code: JOU14
Fresno, CA
Available: Opportunity for a student to spend a day in a television newsroom. See how editorial decisions are made, attend editorial meetings, work with either a producer or reporter during the day as newscasts and TV stories are put together. Reply Code: JOU15
Connecticut
Bristol, CT
Available: Opportunity for a student interested in sports broadcast journalism to spend a day at the worldwide leader in sports television. On any given day, I would either be conducting research of my next long form TV segment, or I'd be in edit putting together a segment. I would also arrange for a tour of the ESPN world headquarters, which would include the video tape library, the studios, etc. Reply Code: JOU20
Florida
West Palm Beach, FL
Available: Opportunity for a student to see how newspapers decide what issues to write editorials about and how they go about writing editorials. Spend a day at the newspaper, exposed to reporters, editors, copy editors, graphic artists -- your choice. Reply Code: JOU18
Illinois
Chicago, IL
Available: Opportunity for aspiring journalists interested in hotels or restaurants. This magazine editor has worked on three different titles in business-to-business publishing, including the magazine of the worldwide hotel industry and the leading magazine in the restaurant and foodservice industry. His background also includes work as a reporter and copy editor at daily newspapers as well a stint as a high school journalism instructor.He is offering the opportunity to experience a day in the life of a magazine editor, which will include an introduction to a major business-to-business information provider, a tour of the office, the opportunity to meet and talk with other editors, and the chance to work with the hosting editor to produce actual copy for a magazine.
Reply Code: JOU01
Chicago, IL
Available: Opportunity to shadow an alum who works in a satellite office covering neighborhoods on Chicago's South Side for Chicago Public Radio. I'd show them what I'm working on, give them a tour of some neighborhoods and take them to lunch. The emphasis would be on urban affairs reporting. Reply Code: JOU12
Romeoville, IL
Available: Opportunity for a student to visit a Catholic magazine which would be of interest to a journalism student (especially one interested in print journalism), a bilingual student (Spanish and English) or someone interest in non-profit work (especially that of the Catholic Church).The magazine is located just outside Chicago, so transportation would be easy.An externship here might include shadowing interviews (phone or field); discussing story writing for niche markets; observing or trying photo taking and editing; and/or learning about proofing and layout.Participants would spend most of the day in the newsroom or field with the staff writer and/or editor; however, students interested in other non-profit work could visit other departments around the center. For journalism students interested in broadcast news, discussion of the staff’s background in public radio would also be possible. Also, the magazine is planning to launch a website that might interest students who enjoy multimedia work. Reply Code: JOU17
Chicago, IL
Available: Opportunity for a student to experience the editorial side of a trade magazine. A typical day includes editing, writing and brainstorming story ideas. The exact experience would vary depending on where we are during the editorial cycle when the student visits. Reply Code: JOU24
Indiana
Lafayette, IN
Available: Opportunity for a student to learn about broadcast journalism from setting up a story to presenting it live on television. Find out how a reporter comes up with ideas, executes them, and what the finished product looks like. During the day you will see how contacts are made and used, how to shoot, write, and edit a story, and to present it. We are a small station where reporters do it all. If you are interested in shadowing me, I work the night shift from 2:30pm to midnight. If that schedule is not possible, we can try to arrange a day shift with another reporter. Reply Code: JOU28
Iowa
Des Moines, IA
Available: Opportunity for a student to experience working at a copy desk. Our copy desk handles more than 50 national magazines that cover health, home design, gardening, and crafts. Our job includes editing manuscripts, proofing layouts, and attending issue pin-ups, where the art and edit staff look over an entire issue before it goes to press. Reply Code: JOU27
Kansas
Lawrence, KS
Avaialble: Opportunity for students to see how a leading multimedia journalism company works on a daily basis. The Lawrence Journal-World in Lawrence, KS, and owned by The World Company, has been nationally recognized as a leader in converging online, print and broadcasting. You'll get to shadow a reporter and recent Medill alumni who landed her job thanks to her time in Lawrence during her Journalism Residency. Daily tasks include covering education stories for the news station, 6News, and the print and online edition of the Lawrence Journal-World. Best for broadcast student, but any journalism student can learn about the online, print or broadcast world in one trip. Reply Code: JOU08
Louisiana
Lafayette, LA
Available: Opportunity for a student to shadow the 5, 6 and 10 o'clock anchor. A student job-shadowing me would be exposed to editing copy, working with news producers in preparation for the newscasts. My work day runs from 2:00 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. Reply Code: JOU21
Massachusetts
Needham, MA
Available: Opportunity for a student to shadow a producer in the special projects unit at WCVB-TV, the ABC affiliate in Boston. It depends on the day, but most likely, an extern would get an overall view of TV news in a major market. They would sit in on the morning editorial meeting, review story tips for investigative/consumer segments, watch a newscast from the control room & studio, spend some time in an Avid edit room, etc. There also may be an opportunity to get an extern out in the field on a live shot. But as you might imagine, breaking news is tough to predict! Reply Code: JOU04
Minnesota
Faribault, MN
Available: Opportunity for students to see the operations of a daily sports section with the newspaper's sports editor. We're a relatively small town paper that covers five local high schools, and can take you through the everyday process of putting out the section, from reporting and photography to laying out the section. We can also show you other aspects of life at a daily newspaper, from daily budget meetings to designing the paper's news section and front page. We also put out a weekly newspaper for a neighboring community, and can show how that process works as well. Reply Code: JOU07
Minneapolis, MN
Available: Opportunity for a student to shadow a senior editor at a major city magazine (monthly), who works on special advertising sections. On a daily basis, an extern may see me working with freelance writers, copyediting, brainstorming with art directors, editing layouts, working with sales staff, contacting sources, writing features and/or sidebars, and planning special projects such as our Weddings guide. I work with a team of several "sections" editors, as well as near editors who oversee other custom edit publications ranging from travel to sports and finance. The topics I work on include travel, beauty/wellness, home/design, weddings and education. Every day is different! Our company also publishes a local business magazine, as well as an inflight magazine for a major airline. Reply Code: JOU22
Missouri
St. Louis, MO
Available: Opportunity for a student to shadow a general assignment reporter for a local NPR affiliate. My day typically involves making lots of phone calls, reading lots of newspapers, and covering press conferences or meetings. An externship participant can expect to see a working newsroom and learn the basics of radio reporting, writing and editing. The participant would also be able to shadow me on any story. Reply Code: JOU05
New Jersey
Jersey City, NJ (NYC metro area)
Available: Opportunity for a student to experience a day at Dow Jones. This would be a great opportunity for any student interested in the world of financial journalism. He/she could see how stories are written in real-time and the inner-workings of a wire service. Reply Code: JOU23
New York
New York, NY
Available: Opportunity for a student to see the process of a daily financial news TV program from beginning to end.Student will attend morning editorial meeting; have an opportunity to talk to producers, reporters, anchors, managers, directors, assignment desk personnel and others involved in the daily production of a newscast; observe how a rundown is put together, stories are developed and written, and video and graphics elements are used; and will be in the control room for a live broadcast. Reply Code: JOU02
New York, NY
Available: Opportunity for a student to shadow a reporter on civil court cases. The student will see basic reporting strategies on tracking down sources and writing stories about court decisions. Reply Code: JOU03
New York, NY
Available: Opportunity for a student to experience working at MyJewishLearning.com, the largest pluralistic Jewish resource on the web. On a daily basis we are writing and editing articles, contributing to our award-winning blog, meeting with funders and organizational partners, and developing our redesigned web site. Students interested in the non-profit journalism world as well as Jewish communal service would benefit from visiting with us. Reply Code: JOU09
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Available: Opportunity for a student to shadow a metro columnist at the Philadelphia Inquirer. I am happy to entertain one student (entertain might be putting it too grandly) as I go about hunting, gathering and cooking up my twice-a-week column or tending to my blog, Blinq. It could be as fascinating as watching white paint dry. Or there could be some action. Reply Code: JOU25
Texas
Dallas, TX
Available: Opportunity for a student at a working magazine publishing company, which publishes five monthly magazines and operates a website daily. The students, depending on when they arrive in our production cycle, will have an opportunity to see community journalism up-close, as well as ask questions about how we do things. Reply Code: JOU32
Utah
Salt Lake City, UT
Available: Opportunity to shadow the morning and noon anchor at a television station in a top 40 market. An externship student could see what goes into putting on a morning and afternoon newscast. It will mean an early morning wake-up call. The extern can watch our news with us - both behind the scenes in the control room and then in the studio to see what goes on in front of and behind the camera. After the morning show, I will take them on a tour of the newsroom, explain to them what a reporter's day is like and how news is gathered, how producers write and stack a newscast and the entire process of what goes into putting a newscast on the air. Reply Code: JOU26
Vermont
Manchester Center, VT
Available: Opportunity for students to learn the full workings of a small niche magazine publishing company and have an opportunity to speak with editors, art directors, advertising sales people as well as the publisher to gain a solid overview of how a magazine company works. Reply Code: JOU10
Washington, DC
Washington, DC
Available: Opportunity to shadow a journalist covering some of the most exciting and important events of our time, from the nation's capital: Barack Obama's election and inauguration, amid the worst economic recession we've seen since the Great Depression. Spend a day with me and you'll see, behind the scenes, how we inform the public about the critical matters that affect them every day. Meet the decision-makers and journalists who help craft stories for one of the nation's major broadcast networks. Our work is unpredictable, so depending on the day of your visit, be prepared to go out and interview newsmakers, or stay in the newsroom and watch the process unfold. Reply Code: JOU13
Washington, DC
Available: Opportunity for a student to shadow the Washington D.C. correspondent for the Chattanooga Times Free Press. I cover the Tennessee and Georgia congressional delegations. I work in the Capitol daily and can show a student the ropes of what it's like to cover Congress. This can involve attending news conferences, meeting lawmakers and their press secretaries, and touring the Capitol and its press galleries. Reply Code: JOU16
Wisconsin
Milwaukee, WI
Available: Opportunity for a student to shadow the publisher of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. I'm involved in strategy-setting, new product discussions, sales planning and operational reviews. Additionally, I use my Medill degree in meetings with our editorial team - reviewing major projects; joining in editorial board discussions and participating in newsroom decision-making. The internet is a growing focus for us: we are launching new websites; exploring new technologies for distributing the news, and training our people for a digital future. Every day is fun, challenging, and never dull. Reply Code: JOU11
Portage, WI
Available: Opportunity for a student to work on a twice weekly newspaper. Depending on the day of the week, the student could do a story for publication or watch how layout is done. Reply Code: JOU31
International
Amman, Jordan
Available: Opportunity for a student interested in the nuts and bolts of working as a foreign correspondent. Based in Jordan, I cover the Middle East, including Iraq. Students can spend the day with me and see what life in the field is like for a working journalist. Though I man a one man bureau, I will arrange meetings with several other area journalists. If the timing is right, a student may even accompany me on an interview. At the very least, I'll give a student three squares. Reply Code: JOU29
Rome, Italy
Available: Opportunity for students to shadow two alumni: one is a freelance journalist/author and the other is the BBC correspondent for Italy. Reply Code: JOU30
