Investing in the Future: WNPA’s 2025 Journalism Internship Program

The WNPA Foundation continues to strengthen its commitment to the next generation of journalists — by first stepping back for one year from its summer internship program. 

The challenges that afflict our society, especially increasing inflation and housing costs, are affecting the ability of students to consider an internship with the WNPA.

Summer internships are supported through a combination of investment from the assigned newspaper, and up to $2,500 additional funding from the Foundation. We’re finding it more and more difficult for even some of our smaller newspapers to bear the cost. 

While we assess creative solutions for housing, we’re also committed to examining the pay to ensure fairness for our newspapers as well as our interns. It’s our hope that through this effort we will be able to attract the best talent in our universities. 

The summer internship program is an important part of the workforce pipeline for journalism in the state. Many of the interns go on to work at a WNPA member paper after graduation. It’s designed to give students hands-on newsroom experience, in a structured and guided format.

 With John Saul returning as the program’s editor and mentors such as Austin Jenkins and Jim Camden providing weekly educational guidance, interns will receive consistent professional support throughout their placements. 

A key priority this year is addressing the challenge of intern isolation, particularly for those placed in remote or smaller newsrooms. 

Ellen Hiatt, WNPA’s Executive Director, outlined a plan to create a stronger sense of community among interns through regular check-ins, educational sessions, and peer networking opportunities.

Partnerships and Potential Expansion

WNPA is exploring grant partnerships that could allow the placement of Murrow Fellows in every county across Washington. This vision, discussed in partnership with Ben Shores, would significantly expand local coverage while giving student journalists meaningful opportunities to engage in civic reporting.  Such an initiative aligns closely with WNPA’s mission to sustain local journalism and strengthen democracy through informed communities.

A Shared Investment in Local News

The internship program is a joint effort supported by educational institutions, local newspapers, and donor contributions. WNPA’s leadership emphasized that this year’s focus on collaboration, mentoring, and inclusion will make the program more sustainable — and more impactful — than ever before.

"Every intern we place is an investment in the future of Washington journalism,” Hiatt said. “Our goal is to ensure they’re not just learning, but also contributing meaningfully to the newsrooms and communities they serve.”