Fellowship internships in Journalism

Ready to take your interest in journalism to the next level?

We offer the following two opportunities for undergraduates to self-design a summer internship experience in the dynamic field of journalism, whether in print, digital, photo/video, mixed media, etc.:

Grimsley Fellowship in Journalism
Journalism & Democracy Fellowship

Through these fellowships, William & Mary undergraduates propose, design, and take part in a unique summer internship to hone their research and writing skills as a practicing journalist.

Working in a media organization alongside a mentor of their choice, our fellows learn tools of the trade directly from practitioners in the field. Fellows receive a $4,000 stipend.

Read more here about Phebe Fahmy's ('26) experience as a Grimsley Fellow last summer.

Applications for Summer 2024 are now closed.

Eligibility

Applicant must be:

a student in good academic standing.
a continuing undergraduate student (i.e., not a graduating senior).
eligible to work in the United States on or before May 1 of the internship year.
available to complete ten full weeks of intern and research activities in the summer.

Requirements

Internships will have a research component with specifics to be arranged with the internship supervisor. Students receiving internship funding are required to blog about their research experience during the summer on the Charles Center Summer Research Blog.
Students are required to participate in the Internship & Applied Learning Showcase, typically held in September.

Application

Your application for a Charles Center journalism fellowship includes:

Journalism Fellowship Internship Application form (online)
- You will be asked to enter the names of two references :
  - One reference must be a faculty member who has taught you in class.
  - A second reference may be a former supervisor, acquaintance, etc. who can speak to your ability to be successful in the internship.
Cover letter, addressed to the Charles Center, which explains the following:
- the media organization, its location, the nature of the internship you are proposing, as well as the specific contact(s) in the organization, with whom you have arranged the proposed internship
- why you are interested in a fellowship in journalism
- the skill sets, academic preparation, and special interests or experiences you possess that qualify you for the internships you selected
- why you consider yourself a good fit for your chosen internships
- your personal qualities that make you suitable for this opportunity
- how this internship relates to your career and academic goals
- what you hope to gain from this experience
Writing sample, ranging from 3 to 5 double-spaced pages
- The writing sample should be a reflection of your ability to conduct research and craft an argument using primary and/or secondary sources. This can be an essay for a class, independent research, a journalistic article, etc.
Resume
Banner (unofficial) transcript
- To access your unofficial transcript, log in to Banner at banweb.wm.edu, navigate to the “Student” tab, select "Student Records" and then “Student Profile.” On the left-hand menu of your student profile, click “Unofficial William & Mary Academic Transcript.” Select “Undergraduate” and “Web Self-Service” on the drop-down boxes. This will take you to your unofficial transcript; right click anywhere, select “Print,” and select the destination as “Save as PDF.”
Supplemental work (optional)
- Demonstrates research ability not displayed in the writing sample
- Examples include: art portfolio, digital project, public-facing work, community project