January 10, 2025
The nonprofit news sector is strengthening its pipeline for the next generation of journalists with an expanded internship program that merges diversity, opportunity and impactful rural reporting. In 2025, the Scripps Howard Fund, the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) and the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting will offer 13 paid internships across rural newsrooms, providing hands-on experience to journalism students while amplifying underrepresented voices and stories in rural America.
Building on the success of its two-year pilot, the Scripps Howard Fund is teaming up with the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) and the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting to expand a unique journalism internship program in 2025. Thirteen paid internships will be available in rural nonprofit newsrooms, aimed at equipping emerging journalists — particularly those from diverse backgrounds — with skills and experience that are vital to their careers and the communities they serve.
In 2023, more than 200 student journalists applied for the eight paid internships. And in the first year of the program, two of the eight interns got hired to full-time jobs by the nonprofit newsrooms where they worked.
“This program has been transformational, not just for the interns but for the newsrooms and the communities they cover,” said Mike Canan, senior director of journalism strategies for the Scripps Howard Fund. “After a strong two-year pilot, we are excited to offer even more opportunities for hands-on reporting in areas that need it most.”
The 10-week internships will be hosted by newsrooms across the INN Network. Six of the eight original news organizations are returning for the third year, including Carolina Public Press, KOSU, Oklahoma Watch, South Dakota News Watch, The Daily Yonder, and Wisconsin Watch. Athens County Independent, Louisville Public Media, Shasta Scout, The Current GA, The Maine Monitor, The Shoestring and Spotlight Delaware will be employing their first Scripps interns this summer. In partnership with the Ida B. Wells Society, two new internships in 2025 will focus on investigative reporting, a critical skill set for tackling systemic issues in rural communities.
For rural newsrooms, the program provides much-needed capacity to tackle underreported issues. At South Dakota News Watch, for instance, stories from Mariia Novoselia — its summer 2024 intern — offered critical relief for full-time reporters. “Her stories not only engaged readers but brought crucial information to light, like data on immigration trends and a mosquito outbreak,” said Carson Walker, CEO of News Watch.
Interns like Julia Tilton, who worked with The Daily Yonder, gained invaluable experience. “I learned to tell stories about rural America with nuance, challenging stereotypes and building trust in small communities,” Tilton shared in a post-internship survey. She also contributed multimedia content, including podcast episodes and social media strategies, strengthening her portfolio while serving the mission-driven newsroom.
The program isn’t just about journalism — it’s about equity and representation. By partnering with the Ida B. Wells Society, the initiative emphasizes retaining reporters and editors of color in the field of investigative journalism. This complements INN’s broader mission to strengthen nonprofit newsrooms and their ability to serve communities.
Since its founding in 2016, the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting has developed and offered various training and mentoring programs to help increase the number of journalists from underrepresented groups within the ranks of investigative reporters and editors, said Executive Director Robbie R. Morganfield. The Society works in cooperation with news organizations to provide internships and typically underwrites the salaries of interns who spend 10–12 weeks at their respective news sites.
The partnership with Scripps and INN is among its newest collaborations. It will place interns in two RNN newsrooms — The Maine Monitor and The Current GA — this summer.
“We are beyond excited to expand our reach to the network’s nonprofit newsrooms,” Morganfield said. “We recognize that residents in communities of all sizes need the type of accountability reporting that helps advance the kinds of changes that make life work the way it is intended to work in a democratic society.”
Morganfield said the Society hopes to continue to build the pipeline of internship sites as it continues to build the pipeline of journalists possessing the kinds of skills necessary to conceive and complete investigative projects.
Applications for the internships are open until January 31, 2025, with an earlier deadline of January 12 for the Ida B. Wells-supported opportunities. Selected interns can also apply for additional funding to offset housing and relocation expenses, ensuring accessibility for students from all backgrounds.
For journalism students and recent graduates, this program represents a chance to not only build skills but also contribute to independent, high-quality journalism in communities that are too often overlooked. “There’s no one rural America,” Tilton reflected. “Covering these communities means understanding their diversity and building relationships that lead to meaningful stories.”
Nonprofit newsroom leaders are encouraged to share this opportunity widely. As the journalism field faces unprecedented challenges, programs like this showcase the power of collaboration to sustain the future of impactful, inclusive reporting.
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