The Hoosier Local News Internship Program is a 10-week summer internship with placement in a South Central Indiana newsroom. Selected students will receive an internship scholarship up to $8,000.
Fill out the internship applicationPlease thoroughly read the following guidelines before submitting your application.
Current students in The Media School at Indiana University Bloomington, who have completed at least sophomore year and continuing your studies fall 2026 are eligible to apply to the program.
Selected students will be offered one of the three full-time (40 hours per week), 10-week internships with up to $8,000 in scholarship funds.
The value of this scholarship will be reported to the Office of Student Financial Assistance. This scholarship will reduce the financial aid for any students who are 21st Century Covenant recipients, Groups recipients, or Pell Promise recipients by its value, $8,000 USD. The scholarship will also reduce a student’s loans or Federal Work Study if they have reached their cost of attendance.
Please note that awards over $600 will be reported on the IRS Form 1099-MISC by Indiana University. The IRS has stipulated that amounts less than $600 are required to be self-reported by the recipient on their personal tax return. Please consult with your personal tax advisor for any questions or concerns.
The application will require the following materials :
Please be prepared to respond to the questions below. Highly competitive applications will include reflective, well‑developed responses that include specific examples (as appropriate).
A top candidate will submit polished, professional materials, demonstrate strong reporting and storytelling ability, show genuine commitment to local Indiana journalism, and clearly articulate how the internship advances their career goals.
The score descriptors (listed below) should help you understand which aspect of your responses will be of value. The following criteria is scored from 1-5:
The final score is the sum of each.
Recipients of internship offers may be featured on The Media School’s website and/or social media, including their name, photo, and a profile highlighting their internship experience. These features may also be shared with external stakeholders to The Media School.
Take a look at the in-field opportunities that the program has to offer. Scenarios and potential plans are described to help you decide which job is the best fit for you.
The B Square Bulletin is currently a one-person local news outlet for Bloomington that publishes online-only. Organized around a “Total News” framework: future, present and past, the publication's goal is to address the key elements of time: What is going to happen? What just happened? What happened long ago?
The B Square has already built the basic digital infrastructure to support that mission, including a syndicated-feed calendar, a public document repository and a historical timeline collection, in addition to a traditional website where news articles are published.
An intern would help expand and maintain those permanent digital resources, while also writing bylined news articles connected to that work.
One possible scenario:
The intern and editor identify a local topic that would benefit from a timeline on thebloomingtonchronicle.org. For example, the intern might focus on affordable housing in the planned Hopewell neighborhood. With guidance from the editor, the intern uses digital research and analysis tools to build and maintain a Hopewell timeline, sourced with documents on BloomDocs.org. During the internship, any news related to Hopewell would be reported and written by the intern as bylined articles, with editorial support.
Another scenario might involve identifying a connected group of people, organizations or issues that would benefit from similar timelines or document collections.
In general, the intern and editor would work as needed in the same physical location — likely a reservable meeting room at the public library — probably for one to two hours a day. The intern may also be expected to attend events in person.
The editor will most likely to work on spreadsheets, data analysis, and solving unfamiliar technical problems.
We are a weekly newspaper located in Morgan County, Indiana. In the face of a very real news desert here, we decided to control our own fate by starting a print newspaper in 2023. Yes, despite the "conventional wisdom" of the industry, we firmly believe that printed news is making a comeback, particularly in smaller communities where legitimate news sources are typically contracting, often to the point of nonexistence. In no time flat, our subscriptions have ballooned to about 2,000 at present, which demonstrates not only the need for local news, but a desire to consume it by readers. We take great pride in hyperlocal news, with locally generated content from a wide range of reporters, correspondents and contributors each week. Cover to cover, we are local, and in my humble opinion, we are "punching above our weight class" when it comes to a strong local newspaper. What's more, we find ourselves contending with issues that transcend our county line. A data center was approved last year — to the widespread dismay of locals — that expects to be on scene for the next 40 years, and of course, our local state senator — who also happens to be the Senate President Pro Tem — went toe to toe with the White House last fall as the redistricting effort built momentum before the ultimate crash. Then, of course, we have the usual spectrum of traditional coverage, with particular attention paid to government watchdog reporting.
To be frank, we treat interns as reporters. There are no coffee runs or file organizing. We offer the full experience of an energized, ambitious newsroom. Certainly, writing is a central skillset, along with photography and social media. But rest assured, our editor relishes the opportunity to shepherd interns and young reporters with constructive guidance to set them up for success on their professional trajectory. And the intern's interests and passions are central to the experience.
General work expectations: In-person is ideal, but a hybrid approach is possible for the right candidate. As for work hours a week, at least 20 and up to 40. A laptop would be about the only equipment needed for the intern, as smartphones will serve our purposes on the photography side.
Skills or qualifications: An eagerness to learn is key. Natural curiosity, initiative and a dash of authority issues also help.
Our entire endeavor is a grand experiment, and we're living the dream-turned-reality. No two days are alike. Some coverage is tedious, while other coverage is downright enthralling. The right candidate will get the full experience of a vibrant, collaborative newsroom.
The Owen News is Indiana’s first nonprofit newspaper. Our mission is to provide accurate, accessible and community-driven journalism that connects residents, holds institutions accountable and strengthens civic life.
We are seeking a motivated and curious reporting intern to join our newsroom. This position is open only to currently enrolled college or university students who want to gain real-world experience in journalism. You’ll pitch, report and publish stories that make a difference in the community, while receiving mentorship and professional development from experienced journalists. The role offers exposure to all aspects of reporting, from covering government meetings and breaking news to developing feature stories.
Location: Spencer, Indiana (hybrid/remote options may be considered)
Reports to: Executive Editor
Key responsibilities:
Qualifications
Questions? Contact Ian Fournie
