Writing Internship Program

• You will spend approximately 10 hours per week at your internship site as a member of the writing staff.
• You may work individually or as a team, depending on your site supervisor/s needs.
• You will work closely with your site supervisor, who maintains contact with the WIP.
• Your duties will vary, but expect to be involved in writing in all stages of development, from research and organizing, to drafting and revising, to distribution.
• It is also worth reaching out to current interns or internship supervisors to get an idea of what you may be doing if you are interested in that specific position.

The Writing Internship Program (WIP) constitutes a three-credit hour course and satisfies the requirement for an upper-level writing intensive course. It is open to juniors and seniors of all majors who have received an advisor recommendation and have a minimum 3.0 GPA.

The following classes are also recommended, through not mandatory:

• Writing in Business (ENG 30061)
• Principles of Technical Writing (ENG 30062)
• Professional Writing (ENG 30063)
• Argumentative Prose Writing (ENG 30064)
• Writing in the Public Sphere (ENG 30066)
• Senior Seminar (ENG 49091)

The Department of English works with site supervisors to provide a variety of opportunities for student interns, whether at campus institutions or procuring jobs off campus. Internship sites may change from semester to semester, depending on the site’s needs and the potential intern’s interests and skill sets.

On-campus intern sites have included:

• Department of English
• Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies
• Division of Philanthropy and Volunteer Programs
• Division of Research & Economic Development
• ESL Center
• Honors College
• Kent State University Press
• Jewish Studies Program
• Office of Global Education
• Office of Undergraduate Studies and Research
• Reinberger Children’s Library Center
• School of Multidisciplinary Social Studies and Humanities
• School of Peace and Conflict Studies
• The Fashion School and Museum
• University Library
• University Communications & Marketing
• Wick Poetry Center
• WKSU
• Writing Commons

Off-site opportunities have included:

• Listening Eye Magazine (Kent State University at Geauga, Burton, OH)
• Family & Community Services, Inc. (Kent, OH)
• British-American Chamber of Commerce (Cleveland, OH)
• ProImage Experts (Cleveland, OH)

Experience has shown that those interns who generate ideas, show initiative, and seek additional responsibilities will profit more from their internships than students who wait to be told what to do. While a great deal of your work will eventually be substantive writing and editing, you may be asked to perform assignments you regard as routine or boring, especially at first. It is best to cheerfully accept these assignments. Evidence of an intern’s ability to handle routine tasks quickly and accurately is often necessary before the intern is given more assignments.

Download the application below and email Dr. Krishnan at ukrishna@kent.edu once completed.

Download the Application

Dr. Uma Krishnan, director of the Writing Internship Program, is reachable at ukrishna@kent.edu or in her office in Room 206E of Satterfield Hall.