Pete Freedman
Have The Best Internship Ever This Semester.
This week has been hard, y’all. It’s our first week without our summer interns Calvin Cashen and Sidney Johnson being here in the office with us, and we’re way feeling the void they’ve left behind.
It’s too quiet, man. There’s no one here to laugh at my bad jokes when Cory has his headphones on. There’s no one here for me to ask me how to stylize a phrase or title when the answer’s sitting right next to them in the AP Stylebook copy I’ve left on their desks. There’s no one here to help me come up with stupid Snapchat story ideas that we’ll never end up using anyway.
I am at a bit of a loss in their absence. I feel like a plastic bag drifting through the wind, wanting to start again.
But, hey, good news on that front! The fall semester kicking off means that it’s time for a new cast of interns to enter the fray here at CTHQ. Think you’re up to the task of joining the squad?
Yeah? Well, just know that you’ll have some pretty big shoes to fill. Calvin and Sidney really rocked shit this summer, contributing to more than 100 stories combined. Individually, they similarly shined: Calvin got to cover everything from the business of vaping and the difficulties of launching a music festival to the behind-the-scenes production that goes into a stadium concert and what lies ahead for the local vinyl record industry; Sidney, on the other hand, covered a contentious Donald Trump rally, interviewed some of the world’s preeminent female DJs, learned what it takes to launch a college football program from scratch and turned in what still stands as the most harrowing first-person account of the July 7 shooting in Downtown Dallas that has been published anywhere to date.
They had pretty productive summers, is what I’m saying. They learned a lot, too. Better yet, they had a good time while doing it.
“I enjoyed Central Track because it gave me the constructive criticism I needed while preserving my voice,” Sidney said when I asked him for his thoughts on his internship with us. “I learned my mistakes and how to fix them, making me a more efficient writer and reporter. CT has shown me that, sometimes, the little guys are more thorough. I highly recommend CT.”
As for Calvin’s thoughts?
“For lack of better words, [it was] friggin’ dope,” he said. “It was a great opportunity for me to get some practical experience in the field of journalism, which I feel isn’t easy to come by.”
Sound like an experience you’d like to try your own hand at? Tight. We’re looking for a number of interns this fall. Specifically, we’re looking to fill at least three positions. Here’s a bit of a rundown on what we’re seeking.
Editorial intern. Our ideal candidate here is a not just interested in area culture (music, nightlife, fashion, restaurants, bars, etc.), but also at least a little familiar with it. Applicants should be strong, efficient and prolific writers who aren’t afraid to have and share an opinion.
Photography/graphic design intern. The perfect candidate here is well-versed in all aspects of the Adobe Suite, and a creator in their own right. We seek someone eager to help our writing staff better visualize their stories, as well as someone capable to telling their own stories through visual means.
Web editor intern. For this position, we seek someone with interest in content management, someone who has an interest in learning how to build and run a dynamic database for events and locations, and someone who would be excited to ride shotgun as we take our website to the next level
Top-notch candidates for each of the above positions will be enrolled in an area college or university, and will be able to receive class credit for their efforts. They will also be able to come into our Uptown office at least three days and 15-20 hours per week between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Also, it’s worth noting that all accepted applicants will be required to have internet access, to supply their own computing device and to provide their own transportation to and from the office.
We’ve already received some intriguing applications thus far, but are still keeping an eye out for some diamonds in the rough. If you think you fit the bill for one of the above positions, please contact me ASAP at pete [at] centraltrack [dot] com. Put “FALL INTERNSHIP” in the subject line. Include a resume, some samples of your work and a quick note about why you think you’d be a good fit at CT.
The deadline for applying for a fall internship with Central Track is 6 p.m. on Monday, August 29. We look forward to hearing from you.