Traditionally, journalism majors gain professional experience before graduation through internships, part-time or summer jobs, and campus media. Those avenues are often insufficient to adequately prepare them for the professional workplace and professional standards. This essay explores two of a journalism school's practice-based programs that…

Relates the author's experiences during a five-week faculty internship at the "Colorado Camera" university newspaper. Describes how the author had to refresh her skills and adapt to the technological advances that had been made during her years as a teacher. Concludes that the author enjoyed her return to reporting and considered it a…

Describes how the author, a broadcasting educator, worked as a summer intern at a professional TV station in order to keep his instruction current, and to keep up on the latest stylistic and technological changes in the business. Discusses the benefits of doing so, and notes some useful information learned. (SR)

Examines two topics related to the mass media internship experience: realities and strategies related to internship coordination in the rural, isolated university setting; and the value and potential on broadcasting and mass communication curricula for the "externship" (a one-day activity in which a student "shadows" a media professional for a…