Company Description
The American Society of Magazine Editors is the principal organization for magazine journalists in the United States. The members of ASME include the editorial leaders of most major consumer and business magazines published in print and on digital platforms. Founded in 1963, ASME works to defend the First Amendment, protect editorial independence and support the development of journalism. ASME sponsors the Ellie Awards in association with the Columbia Journalism School and publishes the ASME Guidelines for Editors and Publishers.
Job Description
For over 50 years, the American Society of Magazine Editors has sponsored the Magazine Internship Program — a ten-week program for rising college seniors at magazines in New York and Washington. Since the program was founded in 1967, 2,000 college students have worked as ASME interns. Nearly 500 have gone on to successful careers in print and electronic journalism.
Only 10 percent of all Magazine Internship Program applicants are accepted. ASME interns have distinguished academic records and usually have extensive experience working on city and regional magazines or websites as well as on college newspapers and magazines.
ASME interns participate in a two-day orientation program and learn the fundamentals of reporting, fact-checking and copy editing. Over the course of the summer, ASME interns attend special events in New York and Washington and meet regularly with top editors.
ASME interns report, edit, fact-check and copy-edit for print and online publications. They may sometimes interview celebrities, attend press conferences and work the red carpet—but most of the summer they do the un-glam but essential work of magazine journalism.
The Magazine Internship Program orientation begins on Wednesday, May 27, 2020, in New York. All ASME interns are expected to attend orientation, including interns assigned to magazines outside New York. Orientation concludes on Thursday, May 28.
ASME interns begin work at their assigned magazines on Monday, June 1; the Magazine Internship Program concludes on Friday, August 7.
ASME interns are temporary employees of the magazine they are assigned to. ASME interns are paid minimum wage.
ASME interns are responsible for their own travel, housing, meals and personal expenses. ASME arranges group housing at New York University dormitories. ASME also provides housing information for students assigned to magazines in Washington.
Housing costs for the length of the Magazine Internship Program are approximately $4,000 at New York University (costs are comparable in Washington). A $500 deposit is required when housing is reserved for the summer; payment must be made in full before the scheduled move-in date.
Qualifications
Applicants must complete their junior year before June 2020 and expect to graduate in June 2021. Only full-time students with a grade point average of at least 3.0 will be considered for an internship. Your application must include:
- A one-page cover letter (addressed to Sidney Holt, Executive Director, ASME) explaining why you are interested in magazine journalism; why you want to participate in the Magazine Internship Program; and why you are qualified to be an ASME intern. The selection committee wants to know how your course of study has prepared you to be an ASME intern and how you plan to use the skills and insights you gain from participation in the Magazine Internship Program not only to advance your career but to benefit the publications where you work your senior year
- A one-page letter of recommendation from an educator who can attest to your abilities and experience
- A one-page letter of recommendation from an intern supervisor or employer who can attest to your abilities and experience
- A current resume
- No more than 10 clips from a college newspaper or magazine or from a newspaper or magazine where you have interned or worked that demonstrate reporting skills as well as an interest in and knowledge of a range of topics
- A nonrefundable processing fee of $40
Students recommended for the Magazine Internship Program by academic departments or career-guidance offices should include one-paragraph letters of nomination in their applications.
How Interns are Chosen
Besides overall academic performance, criteria used to select ASME interns include:
- Academic training in journalism (but students shouldn’t be afraid to apply for an ASME internship if their school doesn’t offer journalism courses or if they’re not majoring in journalism)
- Experience in campus journalism, preferably as a reporter or editor on a newspaper, magazine or website
- Previous internships or employment at city, regional or national newspapers, magazines or websites
NOTE: Journalism departments and career-guidance offices are invited to recommend no more than two students for the Magazine Internship Program. (Students do not need to be nominated by a college or university to apply, but applicants recommended by journalism departments or career-guidance offices are given preference over students from the same school.) Letters of nomination should be included in each student’s application. To ensure geographic diversity, only one student is usually accepted from anyone college or university.
Paid or for credit only
Paid minimum wage
Deadline
The deadline to apply is December 1, 2019.
How to apply
Applications for the Magazine Internship Program 2020 must be submitted on asmeinternship.org.
All application materials must be submitted online. The nonrefundable processing fee can be paid online, or you can mail a check to American Society of Magazine Editors, P.O. Box 112, New York, NY 10163. Checks should be made payable to American Society of Magazine Editors. Please include the name of the applicant on the check.
Applicants will be notified by email of the selection committee’s decision in March 2020.