The Professional Writing & Editing (PWE) capstone experience for both undergraduate and graduate students provides a venue (a professional internship) for students to apply the skills and knowledge that they have acquired during their training as PWE majors. The experience is a culmination of student undergraduate or graduate work that also prepares them for further work in academic and non-academic environments.
- Undergraduates (ENGL 491A: Professional Field Experience)
- Graduates (ENGL 610: Professional Writing Internship)
- PWE Internship Opportunities
- Internship Documents and Forms
ENGL 491A: Professional Field Experience
English 491A is the capstone course for the PWE undergraduate concentration. It is the companion course to the internship experience. Download a sample syllabus here (or a distance learning version here ). (Note: The internship is not required for the undergraduate PWE minor.)
Students should begin their search for an internship in advance of the semester they intend to enroll in ENGL 491A. Students are encouraged, but not required, to work with the internship coordinator on finding an internship suitable to their needs and on establishing contact with an internship sponsor. In addition to the list of contacts below, students are welcome to seek out other on-campus, local, and national internships, as long as they are professional writing-intensive. The internship coordinator should approve all internships. Note: Internships at the below locations are not guaranteed and are based on the needs of the company or organization.
All internships require an Internship Agreement Form that describes – to the best of the student’s ability – the work to be completed over the course of the internship as well as an estimated schedule for that work. The student, the internship site supervisor, and the capstone instructor should all sign this document. The site supervisor should also complete evaluation forms at mid-semester and end-of-semester , which should be sent directly to the instructor.
For additional information, please contact Jill Higgins.
ENGL 610: Professional Writing Internship
English 610 is the capstone course for the MA in PWE. It is the companion course to the internship experience. Download a sample syllabus here . (Note: Graduate students may elect to write a thesis instead of taking ENGL 610)
Students should begin their search for an internship in advance of the semester they intend to enroll in ENGL 610. Students are encouraged, but not required, to work with the internship coordinator on finding an internship suitable to their needs and on establishing contact with an internship sponsor. In addition to the list of contacts below, students are welcome to seek out other on-campus, local, and national internships, as long as they are professional writing-intensive. The internship coordinator should approve all internships. Note: Internships at the below locations are not guaranteed and are based on the needs of the company or organization.
All internships require an Internship Agreement Form that describes – to the best of the student’s ability – the work to be completed over the course of the internship as well as an estimated schedule for that work. The student, the internship site supervisor, and the capstone instructor should all sign this document. The site supervisor should also complete evaluation forms at mid-semester and end-of-semester , which should be sent directly to the instructor.
For additional information, please contact Brian Ballentine.
PWE Internship Opportunities
WVU Career Services announces a new internship search program to help make it easier for WVU students to find internships in their career of choice, the WVU Career Services Center has entered into an agreement to become the premiere university in West Virginia for a new online internship search program called West Virginia Intern. Students can access the program by visiting http://www.usaintern.com/wvu/ and take advantage of all the services free of charge. The Web site allows students to search for internships, externships, co-ops and volunteer programs around the state and country. Students can also take advantage of other services offered on the site, including creating a cover letter and resume or attaching the resume to the site making it easily accessible to employers.
For more information: Contact WVU Career Services at careerservices@mail.wvu.edu or call 304-293-2221.
Scientific and Technical Organizations
Administrative Technology Solutions: ATS
If you are looking for a paid summer internship that will provide fantastic writing/editing experience and an opportunity to network with professionals, WVU’s Administrative Technology Solutions (ATS) needs a technical writing summer intern.
ATS provides technology-based services to WVU’s Administration and Finance division. So, applicants must be able to:
- Work extensively with computers and the internet
- Create, edit, and maintain technical documents (both in print and online) by conveying technical information to nontechnical audiences, usually employees across campus
- Collaborate with subject matter experts to gather information and work on projects
- Create templates
The ATS offices are located in Waterfront Place beside the Waterfront Place Parking Garage.
Click here for full description.
To apply: Contact Kate Hazen, Assistant Vice President, Administrative Technology Solutions
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
FINRA is the largest independent regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States. They oversee nearly 4,500 brokerage firms, 163,470 branch offices and 634,385 registered securities representatives. Their chief role is to protect investors by maintaining the fairness of the U.S. capital markets.
To apply: Contact Rebecca LaPorte who is the Lead Compliance Trainer for FINRA®, Member Regulation Training. Address: 9513 Key West Ave. Rockville, MD 20850
National Environmental Services Center
The NESC assists small and rural communities with their drinking water, wastewater, environmental training, infrastructure resilience, and utility management needs and helps them find solutions to problems they face. The NESC staff includes not only environmental specialists, engineers, and certified operators but also writers and editors, all of whom work to help their clients and the wider public understand the latest technologies, regulations, and industry developments. The PWE-related services that NESC offers include the following:
- publications (On Tap, a magazine about drinking water; Small Flows, a magazine about wastewater treatment; and Pipeline, a newsletter about wastewater topics for the general public);
- a comprehensive Web site including online discussion groups; and
- databases with thousands of entries;
NESC is housed in the National Research Center for Coal & Energy (NRCCE) Building on WVU’s Evansdale Campus. PWE students interested in interning at the NESC should visit the orgnaization’s website to learn more about the its mission and publications: http://www.nesc.wvu.edu/.
To apply: Contact Mr. Mark Kemp-Rye, editor of On Tap magazine, who will then schedule an interview with you. Prepare a resume, short writing sample, and editing sample for your interview.
National Research Center for Coal and Energy
The NRCCE conducts research, engages in technology transfer activities, and disseminates information to advance ideas about energy and the environment. The NRCEE is both a research center and an information clearinghouse. PWE interns would work under NRCEE Associate Director Trina Karolchik Wafle, who among her many duties oversees the center’s technical communications office. A PWE intern would help with editing, writing, and designing NRCCE publications. Past PWE interns have worked on print and web-based publications related to two of the NRCCE’s more recent projects: the U.S.-China Energy Center (http://www.nrcce.wvu.edu/USCEC/), and the West Virginia-Department of Energy Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (WV-DOE EPSCoR) (http://wv-doeepscor.nrcce.wvu.edu).
A background knowledge of science or engineering topics would be greatly welcome but is not necessarily required. Skills in writing and designing for the web would also be a major benefit. Most importantly, any prospective intern should be comfortable reading and writing about technical topics and possess the ability to learn and apply new knowledge quickly.
PWE students interested in interning at the NRCCE should visit the organization’s website to learn more about the organization’s mission and activities (http://www.nrcce.wvu.edu/) and also read information at the following link to learn more about Ms. Wafle’s specific responsibilities and professional interests: http://www.nrcce.wvu.edu/docs/bios/t.wafle.doc.
To apply: Contact Ms. Wafle, who will then schedule an interview with you. Prepare a resume, short writing sample, and editing sample for your interview; consider selecting materials that highlight your ability to work with scientific or technical information and/or web-based materials.
WVU Community Design Team
The CDT program brings volunteer WVU professors from a variety of disciplines, including landscape architecture, planning, geography, architecture, engineering, history, and economic development, to assist local communities throughout the state in laying a course for their future. Teams visit a participating town to meet with local residents and learn about problems and concerns they want to address and the kids of community they want to build. The team then drafts a report that outlines a strategy for the community to achieve these goals. Past interns have worked with the West Virginia towns of Rainelle and Montgomery.
PWE students would work alongside Ms. Jennifer Selin, the Community Design Team Coordinator, to edit and design these reports. To learn more about the CDT’s work and read its past reports, please visit the team’s website: http://cred.ext.wvu.edu/programs/community_design_team.
To apply: Contact Ms. Selin, who will then schedule an interview with you. Prepare a resume, short writing sample, and editing sample for your interview.
On-Campus Offices
WVU Extension Service
Develops and teaches best practices for sustainable agriculture, responsible use of renewable resources, and stewardship of natural resources in all 55 counties throughout the state. As they work to solve local problems along with local citizens, extension personnel and staff translate WVU’s research and knowledge into action.
To apply: Contact Ms. Ann Bailey Berry, who is the Communications Director for the WVU Extension Service. Prepare a resume, editing sample, and short writing sample for any potential interview; give special consideration to selecting materials that highlight your ability to write or edit documents that translate scientific or technical information for a non-specialist audience.
WVU Alumni Association
Creates a variety of publications for the university’s alumni, including the WVU Alumni Magazine, WVU Alumni News, and WVU Minute (http://alumni.wvu.edu/publications).
Tara E. Curtis is the Alumni Association’s Assistant Director of Communications: tecurtis@mail.wvu.edu
WVU Business Incubator
The WVU Business Incubator consistently employees one PWE student. Dedicated to “Nurturing Technology-Based Businesses for 21st-Century West Virginia,” the WVU Business Incubator utilizes carefully selected graduate and undergraduate students from a variety of academic disciplines (e.g, PWE, computer science, accounting, public relations) to provide the environment and resources that start-up business need to cultivate success. To learn more about the WVU Business Incubator, visit http://www.wvubi.com.
A PWE intern in the Business Incubator will assist and support the multiple organizations and businesses operating within and through the Business Incubator as well as provide support for the WVU Business Incubator, the Office of Technology Transfer, and WVU Research Corporation. Projects typically include the following writing activities:
- Writing and editing press releases and news stories for various types of publications
- Writing and editing press releases and news stories for various types of publications
- Assisting in writing and editing grant proposals
- Assisting in writing and editing business plans
- Writing and editing promotional materials for Incubator tenants, the Business Incubator, and the Office of Technology Transfer
Location: 886 Chestnut Ridge Road, Morgantown. Accessible via the PRT Medical station.
To apply: Contact Mr. Dusty Gwinn, the WVUBI general manager, who will schedule an interview with you. Prepare a resume, short writing sample, and editing sample for your interview.
Fitness Information Technology, Inc.
Fitness Information Technology, Inc. (FIT) seeks one professional writing and editing intern to assist in the copyediting of academic journal articles and to write related documents such as author bios and correspondence with authors. FIT is an international publisher in the sport and exercise field, publishing approximately 75 textbooks, academic journals, and electronic databases in sport psychology, physical education, sport management, and sport sociology. To learn about the range of materials produced by FIT, please visit http://www.fitinfotech.com/.
Location: WVU Coliseum
NOTE: This internship is available only for students who earned an A in English 302: Editing.
To apply: Contact Mr. Matthew Brann, director of FIT, who will schedule interviews. Prepare a resume and editing sample for your interview.
WVU Press
PWE interns at the WVU Press assist in a wide range of tasks related to the production and marketing of Press publications, including copyediting; researching and fact-checking; corresponding with authors; designing cover and page layouts; and writing press releases.
To apply: Contact Ms. Floann Downey, secretary at the Press, who will schedule interviews. Prepare a resume, short writing sample, and editing sample for your interview.
The Student Support Services / TRiO (SSS) Program
Provides individualized services to students, who are either first-generation, income eligible, or have learning or physical disability.
Location: 709 N. High St., 110 Gaskins House.
Phone: 304-293-6629.
Email: sss_trio@mail.wvu.edu
WVU Office of Social Justice
Promotes a campus environment that creates a climate of opportunity, mutual respect, and understanding for all persons.
Location: Stewart Hall.
Phone: 304-293-5496.
Email: socialjustice@mail.wvu.edu
Departments of Development and Alumni Affairs, Various WVU Colleges
Non-Profit Organizations
National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C)
The NW3C would like to work with one high-achieving PWE undergraduate to help with the preparation of technical instruction manuals and curriculum development within the Computer Crime Section. Here are some key details about the position:
- 4.0 GPA in PWE courses; experience in English 305: Technical Writing preferred
- Flexibility with class schedule
- Developing Terminal Learning Objectives & Enabling Learning Objectives for the Computer Crimes Section
- Assist in developing classroom courses into online training
- Proficient in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint
- Experience in a teaching/classroom setting preferred
Location: Fairmont, WV
To apply: Contact Mr. James Foley, director of curriculum development at NW3C.
Morgantown Area Chamber of Commerce
A non-profit, member based organization with over 400 members throughout the region and state. Dedicated to the Business, Community and Vision of the Morgantown area, the Chamber offers a wealth of services and knowledge benefits to our members to help them succeed and prosper. The Chamber focuses on creating a business atmosphere that benefits the development, growth, and expansion of businesses in our area.
Address: 1029 University Avenue, Suite 101, Morgantown, WV, 26505
Email: info@morgantownchamber.org
Phone: 304.292.3311
Website: http://morgantownchamber.org/
Morgantown Area Economic Partnership
A nonprofit, public-private sector partnership that provides development assistance to the business community of Monongalia and Preston counties. The Monongalia County Development Authority (MCDA) is an arm of county government whose purpose is to “promote, develop and advance the business prosperity and economic welfare of Monongalia County.” MAP and the MCDA work together to help new and existing businesses in such areas as capital financing, tax incentives, employee recruitment and training, sites and buildings, international trade, and community and economic data.
Email: info@morgantown.org
Phone: 304.296.6684.
Website: http://www.morgantown.org/
Greater Morgantown Metropolitan Planning Organization
Coordinates the development and growth of Morgantown, bringing together transportation planners, land use planners, developers, local government officials, and cultural and community leaders.
To apply: Contact Bill Austin, Director
Phone: (304) 291-9571
Email: baustin@moncpc.org
Website: http://www.plantogether.org/
Main Street Morgantown
A non-profit organization dedicated to creating and maintaining Morgantown’s downtown as an attractive, clean, safe center of commerce, government and education.
To apply: Contact Barbara Watkins, Assistant Director
Email: barb@downtownmorgantown.com
Website: http://www.downtownmorgantown.com/
Greater Morgantown Convention and Visitors Bureau
Caritas House, Inc.
Milan Puskar Health Right
American Red Cross—River Valley Chapter
United Way of Monongalia and Preston Counties
For more ideas of internship opportunities at non-profit organizations, see these websites:
WVU Center for Civic Engagement’s List of Community Partners:
http://cce.wvu.edu/community_partners
United Way of Monongalia and Preston Counties, “Community Partners”:
http://www.teamunitedway.org/Partners.htm
Morgantown Businesses
Media Thirty Seven
Media Thirty Seven specializes in media strategy, web design and mobile applications. They believe that offering a fresh, relevant and innovative marketing approach gives their clients the competitive edge they need to stand out from their competition.
To apply: Contact: Casey Cid
Address: Media Thirty Seven 201 High Street, Ste. 2
Morgantown, WV 26505.
Phone: 304.276.5136
Email:casey@mediathirtyseven.com
Website: www.mediathirtyseven.com
Internship Documents and Forms
- ENGL491A_C01 Syllabus (PDF)
- ENGL491_7D1(Distance Learning) Syllabus (PDF)
- ENGL491 Internship Agreement Form (.doc)
- ENGL491 Internship- On Site Evaluation Form (.doc)
- ENGL491 Mid-Term Evaluation Form (.doc)
- ENGL491 Final Evaluation Form (.doc)