GENERAL STATEMENT: Under the supervision of the Editor-in-Chief, and in cooperation with her designee, and the intern editor, the journalism intern will assist with content creation as needed and assigned. Responsibilities include producing daily/weekly and enterprise content for Mirror Indy and/or its partners. Interns are required to produce professional content utilizing the SPJ code of ethics, and the Associated Press style guidelines.  

Mirror Indy is the first newsroom supported by Free Press Indiana, a nonprofit news organization dedicated to ensuring all Hoosiers have access to the news and information they need. Mirror Indy’s mission is to democratize access to information, empowering Indianapolis residents to shape their city for the better. Community-driven storytelling amplifies the voices of those who are often silenced. Our newsroom’s goal is to champion the issues that matter most to this community.

This internship is funded by the Indianapolis Press Club Foundation as part of its commitment to support journalism students at Indiana colleges and universities.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Research stories, including finding reliable source expert data.
• Schedule and conduct interviews.
• Determine which format is appropriate for the story being told.
• Write/produce well-constructed stories based on reliable information.
• Meet daily/weekly/monthly deadlines.
• Communicate routinely with intern coordinator and intern editor. 
• Take and edit photos/videos; gather relevant information for appropriate captions.
• Suggest social media posts for each piece of content created. 
• Other duties as assigned. 

EXPECTATIONS for communication and productivity; specific situations may be negotiable. 

• Communicate with supervisors/editors daily via Slack, unless otherwise defined.
• Communicate w/ supervisor, in advance of working hours, taking care not to exceed the hourly weekly limit. 
• Create timely stories as assigned, typically completing the work within two- to three-days, either independently or in cooperation with another team member; create two to three enterprise stories over the course of the internship. 
• Interns should be coachable, exhibit a positive attitude and good work ethic, and display a willingness to take initiative. 

EXPECTATIONS for daily/weekly work flow; reasonably flexible based on project  timelines, etc. 

• Interns should plan to work from home on Mondays and Fridays, except when story requirements take you on site for reporting, etc. 
• Interns should plan to work in person at the Mirror Indy offices on Tuesdays-Thursdays, except when story requirements take you on site for reporting, etc.

SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS

• This position is not for a beginner. Interns should have some experience either with student media or a previous internship. 
• Professional, business-appropriate attire is expected. 
• Interns should have a reliable mode of transportation. 
• Recent graduates are eligible to apply.

The intern will earn $6,000 for the summer internship; a start and end date is negotiable, but the selected candidate should plan to work 30/hours for 10 weeks, earning $20 per hour. 

Interested applicants should submit the following:

• Cover letter defining interest in Mirror Indy. 
• Two letters of recommendation, at least one from someone who can speak to the applicant’s work outside of a classroom setting. 
• Transcript.
• Link to online portfolio. 

Submit information by close of business Feb. 10, 2025, to Lisa Renze, managing editor of partnerships and projects, at lrenze@freepressindiana.org.