Job & Internship - Employer

Students can complete professional media internships in the areas of

• Advertising
• Electronic Media Studies
• Magazines
• Newspapers
• Public Relations
• Science Communication
• Visual Communication

The Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC). Our accreditation status requires us to adhere to strict academic standards including internships. Therefore, we require that all internship supervisors provide specific information before, during, and at the completion of each internship. This information includes a description of intern duties and responsibilities, the educational and professional background of all internship supervisors, mid-internship evaluations and final internship evaluations. This information is used in the assessment of our internship program.

The learning objectives for Jl MC 499, Professional Media Internship, are based on the professional values and competencies of the Accrediting Council on Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC). The values and competencies are:

1. To understand the role of communication as it relates to the mission and goals of the employing organization.
2. To understand and apply First Amendment principles and the law appropriate to professional practice.
3. To work ethically in pursuit of truth accuracy, fairness and diversity.
4. To show sensitivity to diversity and cultural issues in verbal and visual communication.
5. To think critically and independently.
6. To write correctly and clearly in appropriate forms and styles.
7. To understand and/or use good visual communication concepts and techniques.
8. To demonstrate creativity in completing assignments.
9. To apply basic numerical and statistical concepts.
10. To demonstrate adequate skills in appropriate technology and software.
11. To demonstrate research/fact finding skills.
12. To critically evaluate one’s own work and that of others for accuracy and fairness, clarity, appropriate style and grammatical correctness.

Students receive three academic credits for the successful completion of Jl MC 499.

The following list is a sample of the types of duties we expect our students to complete during their internships:

• Researching, writing and editing content for company publications.
• Photojournalism.
• Scriptwriting.
• Shooting and editing video.
• Tracking media clips.
• Reporting and writing.
• Writing news releases.
• Page design.
• Creating and maintaining Web site content.
• Planning special events.
• Assisting in the planning and execution of sales and marketing plans.

Internships are learning experiences for which students earn academic credit. As with all college courses, students should learn skills and concepts that will prepare them for their careers. If you have questions about the learning objectives for our internship program, please contact the Greenlee School Internship Office at internships@iastate.edu or 515-294-0480.

At the Greenlee School, we consider internship supervisors as educators and mentors. These designations come with a great deal of responsibility. The following list of supervisor responsibilities is adapted from Internships in Communications by James P. Alexander. We expect internship supervisors to:

• Develop objectives and duties for each internship position.
• Meet with student prior to internship to discuss expectations.
• Provide internship coordinator with all requested information including student duties and responsibilities, an educational/professional profile, mid-internship and final internship evaluations.
• Meet with the student on a regular basis to give direction and feedback.
• Complete evaluations at the midpoint and conclusion of the internship.
• Make internship coordinator or faculty adviser aware of any problems that arise during the internship.

A portion of the following list of student responsibilities is adapted from Internships in Communications by James P. Alexander.

• Meet with faculty adviser to discuss internship interest and preparation.
• Conduct a professional internship search and secure an internship.
• Meet with supervisor prior to internship to discuss expectations.
• Fill out all internship paperwork and receive formal approval from faculty adviser prior to starting work.
• Be prepared and on time each day.
• Complete a minimum of 400 hours of work.
• Dress appropriately for the workplace environment.
• Behave ethically and professionally.
• Be positive and enthusiastic about the internship.
• Discuss any problems with supervisor and, if necessary, with the faculty adviser or the internship coordinator.
• Submit all required evaluations and remind supervisor to do the same.
• Submit a final paper and portfolio, and meet with faculty adviser for an exit interview.

• The Greenlee School celebrated its centennial in 2005, and is the oldest program in the state and one of the oldest in the country.


• The Greenlee School is one of the longest continuously ACEJMC accredited programs (among the first group of programs accredited in 1948).


• The school has the largest journalism and communication program in the state.


• The Greenlee School is a comprehensive school of journalism and communication, with degree programs in journalism and mass communication, advertising and graduate studies. 

• JL MC alumni have won five Pulitzer Prizes, a Presidential Medal of Freedom and various other state, national and international recognitions. 

• The Greenlee School has distinguished alumni at major U.S. corporations including The Associated Press, Committee to Protect Journalists, National Public Radio, Meredith Corp., The Des Moines Register, The Wall Street Journal, Omaha World Herald, Ogilvy, D’Arcy Advertising, Dow Jones, KCCI, Clear Channel, ACNielsen, Knight-Ridder, MTV, Hill and Knowlton, Wells Fargo and John Deere. 

• The Greenlee School is a leading program according to Editor & Publisher, listed among the other top 37 programs, including ones at Columbia, Syracuse and Missouri. 

• It is the home of a multimillion dollar pledge and gift campaign providing state-of-the-art technology complementing Iowa State's science and technology and "science with practice" mandate. 


• The Greenlee School is nearing $150,000 in annual scholarships and awards each year, thanks to endowed scholarships and competitive internship grants, including one from the prestigious Scripps Howard Foundation.
• It has more student organizations than any other peer program in the state with growing memberships in ISU-TV, Kappa Tau Alpha, Ad Club, Broadcast Club, Society of Professional Journalists, Public Relations Student Society of America and Greenlee Web Team. 

• The Greenlee School has an all-American student newspaper and magazine, with reporters and editors of the Iowa State Daily and Ethos winning or placing in every category of the Associated Collegiate Press Association and with both publications winning Gold Crowns by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.