Tahlequah’ Communication Internship
About the Internship
Looking to make a splash in the world of environmental public relations, earn course credit and get paid? Join us as a paid PR intern with WWU’s Salish Sea Institute and University Communications (UComm). You’ll be working with a team of veteran journalists, PR, digital marketing professionals, scientists and public policy experts to publicize the expansive work and achievements of Western’s Salish Sea Institute and supporting WWU communications efforts overall.
The Salish Sea Institute ‘Tahlequah’ Communication Internship is made possible by Frank Greer and Stephanie Solien, who have established an endowment for the Salish Sea Institute Tahlequah Communication Internship program. The endowment will fund a paid student internship with University Communications at Western expressly to provide communication and advocacy assistance to the Salish Sea Institute. Read more about Frank Greer and Stephanie Solien’s story and their support for the program here.
Responsibilities
The Public Relations intern will specifically support Salish Sea Institute publicity by executing on a variety of media relations and strategic storytelling tasks. Day-to-day responsibilities typically include:
Story drafting, copyediting support, and other production work
Interviews of story subjects – in person, on video, through smartphone video recording or via email
Contributions to messaging, story angle, and PR pitch development
Events coverage
Support of social media content development and posting
Coverage tracking for PR performance measurement
Support WWU Office of University Communications initiatives and storytelling as assigned
The responsibilities of this internship are closely anchored to WWU’s strategic pillars, messaging, and priority story areas, including:
Access and inclusive success
Public-impact research
Economic and cultural contributions to the State of Washington
Sustainability and environmental stewardship
The duties of the internship will contribute to meeting short- and mid-term goals set by the Director of the Salish Sea Institute and the Office of University Communications. These include but may not be limited to number of mined stories, article generation, proactive pitches, media contacts, coverage results, media monitoring, and contributions to UComm-led publications.
Qualifications
You’re eligible to apply if you are:
A third or fourth year WWU student majoring in Journalism, Public Relations, Communication or Marketing; and
Meet prerequisites for Journalism 430 (6 credits)
You’d be a preferred candidate if you have any of the following experiences or qualifications:
Experience working or volunteering for media organizations, event companies, marketing or related
Engaged in community or environmental causes
Enrolled in the Salish Sea Studies minor or have taken SALI coursework
Able to share 2-3 writing samples from work done outside the classroom, e.g. news releases, articles, speeches
Apply
This position is open for applications until September 15 with virtual interviews to be scheduled prior to the beginning of Fall Quarter 2024.
Start date and working hours would be agreed upon with chosen candidate and begin within the first week of Fall Quarter 2024.
How to Apply:
Send a cover letter and your resume to salish.sea.institute@wwu.edu, cc: news@wwu.edu
Cover letter should address the following:
Why do you want this internship?
Explain your experience working for a student publication at WWU or if you have not done that, please tell us about your experience in any kind of publication or related organization
Time and availability for an internship for the 2024-2025 academic year
Confirmation that you are a 3rd or 4th year WWU student with a major in Journalism, Public Relations, Communication or Marketing
Confirmation that you are registered or will register for Journalism 430 in the 2024/25 academic year.
The Departments
About the Salish Sea Institute
The Salish Sea Institute communicates not only the challenges but also the opportunities and solutions for protecting and restoring the Salish Sea. In order to increase our impact, we need to continually increase awareness of our work and expand our reach. “Marketing” the Salish Sea Institute requires a multifaceted approach that combines traditional and digital strategies to reach a diverse audience interested in environmental and management issues.
The Salish Sea Institute also teaches about the Salish Sea from a multi-disciplinary angle through the Salish Sea Studies minor (over 50 students enrolled). There are opportunities to communicate more broadly about the minor, how it instills a “sense of place” within students and helps them prepare for a variety of jobs in the region.
About University Communications
Part of University Relations and Marketing, the University Communications team’s primary purpose is to promote and protect WWU’s reputation. The office’s primary responsibilities include:
Conducting media relations on behalf of the university, including proactive pitching, managing press inquiries, crises, and other issues affecting WWU
Developing and producing WWU’s primary publications, including Western Today and Window, among others
Ownership of the university’s official social media channels, including strategy, content, and conversation monitoring
Storymining, research discovery, and amplifying WWU academic, institutional, and community stories
Collaborating closely with University Marketing and Brand on messaging, positioning, and campaign execution