Programs for Students, Teachers, Colleges
Since the first internship scholarship was awarded in 1989, hundreds of students have spent part of a summer as a WNPA Foundation intern at a community newspaper in Washington. The hands-on experience prepares them to contribute effectively early in their careers as journalists.
Applications are due before the end of January each year. To apply, send a cover letter telling why you want to work for a community newspaper, a resume and work samples to ExecDirector@wnpa.com.
Applicants are college students from two or four year institutions. Interested college students should contact their school’s journalism department.
The WNPA Foundation funds the program through donations by publishers and an annual silent auction, as well as through income from named endowments. These include the Bruce and Betty Helberg Internship Scholarship (est. 1988), the Verizon Northwest Internship Scholarship (1990), Richard W. Gay Internship Scholarship (1990), the Jim and Kay Flaherty Internship Scholarship (1993), and the Bruce Wilson and Henry Gay Internship Scholarship (2012).
UW Legislative Reporting Internship
Since the 2011 Legislative Session, the WNPA Foundation has provided scholarships for journalism students to do full-time, supervised reporting on Olympia.
These students file reports on issues of interest to rural or suburban communities. The stories are available to all 100-plus community newspapers in WNPA. The students are mentored both by UW staff and by experienced WNPA editors and publishers who serve as volunteer mentors. Interns receive a stipend to cover housing and other needs.
Two internships are named in honor of Kris Passey and Wallie V. Funk. Passey was a former owner of the Marysville Globe and Arlington Times and a founder of the Washington Coalition for Open Government. Funk, an avid photographer and community activist, was publisher of the Whidbey News-Times, South Whidbey Record and the Anacortes American. Passey and Funk both passed away in 2017. A third internship is named in honor of Jerry Zubrod, WNPA Executive Director for two decades.
The Foundation launched the Educator-in-Residence program to provide high school and college level teachers with hands-on work experiences at community newspapers.
The teachers intern for 80 hours at WNPA-member newspapers during the summer. When they return to the classroom, they have fresh, real-life experiences in community journalism with which they can inspire and inform their students.
Publisher in Residence
Under the Publisher-in-Residence program, ongoing since 1981, community newspaper publishers visit university journalism programs, spending an afternoon or up to three days. Depending on the school’s needs the publisher discusses news gathering, ethics, advertising, business management, multi-media skills, career opportunities or other topics requested by the professor. The publishers also typically meet with the staff of the student newspaper. Many do professional critiques of news products.