The Department of English’s internship program allows English majors to gain skill and academic credit, and meet people who can aid their careers. The program matches students with locally and nationally known commercial and nonprofit companies in, among other fields, literature, publishing, radio, television, and public relations.

The Program

The University of Rochester’s English Department internship program helps majors create a fall or spring semester internship with one of nearly three dozen participating Upstate New York companies (listed below). It also allows students to create a summer independent study program anywhere in the world.

The intern process lets majors refine their field of interest, linking academic study and post-University of Rochester careers. Eastman Kodak, for instance, specializes in public relations; WXXI Radio, National Public Radio in programming; the Messenger-Post Newspapers in writing and editing. Open Letter, the university’s new trade-oriented press, and the University of Rochester Press help interns evaluate and acquire books, read untranslated books and/or sample translations, and write pieces for its web site.

An intern works 10-15 hours at the participating company, meeting key officials, earning four credit hours, and building skills and professional relationships. Interns are paired with a faculty advisor. At the end of the semester, they submit a portfolio of their work and a 12-15 page essay describing the internship experience. We also invite students who plan to be on campus the semester following their internship to participate in an informal discussion with undergraduates who are interested in learning more about our internship program.

The summer “independent study” process is similar but allows majors to create an internship near where they live and work. Recent summer programs include NBC and ESPN Television; TV’s Dr. Phil, Tavis Smiley, and Tyra Banks shows; and major radio stations in New York, Chicago, and Boston.

Each year the number of internship opportunities grows. For more information on the internship program, e-mail engdept@mail.rochester.edu, or contact one of the program’s co-directors (Curt Smith, curtsmith@netacc.net; Russell Peck, russell.peck@rochester.edu).

Please note that all internships must be approved by one of the program’s co-directors in advance. We require that students planning a spring semester internship contact one of the co-directors no later than October 15, and that students planning a fall semester internship make contact no later than March 15. The application process is straightforward, but please be sure to allow yourself enough time to select and interview for an internship, receive English department approval, and fill out the necessary paperwork. It is never too early to contact us so that we can help you to sort through your internship and scheduling options.

The Co-Directors

Russell Peck, Professor of English, has worked with University of Rochester undergraduates for more than forty years, sponsoring a variety of research internships that allow students to collaborate on his professional projects or conduct research in the university’s archives.  His research has focused on Gower, Chaucer, and folk and fairy tale motifs in Middle English.  He is currently editing the Middle English Texts Series.

Curt Smith, Senior Lecturer of English, wrote more speeches than anyone for former President George H.W. Bush. He is also what Gannett News Service calls the “voice of authority on baseball broadcasting.” The former Gannett reporter and Saturday Evening Post senior editor has written ESPN TV documentaries; hosted series for an NPR affiliate, XM Satellite Radio, and the Smithsonian Institution; and authored twelve books, including the landmark Voices of the Game.