Some Local Internships
1) Employer : Blue Ridge Legal Services
Description: Blue Ridge Legal Services in Harrisonburg regularly offers internships in law
during the academic year and during the summer. These are unpaid internships since Blue Ridge
is a non-profit organization. Blue Ridge looks foe students who are not afraid of work and who
are considering attending law school. Interns will have the opportunity to work directly with
clients, especially during intake. They will also work with the staff of BRLS writing letters filing
papers, going to the court house, etc. BRLS handles some civil cases, priorities based on need,
eligibility based on income and number in household. Interns will end a semester at BRLS
knowing considerably more about our segment of society and the legal system than they ever
thought possible.
2) Employer : Carrier Library, James Madison University
Description:
1-Credit Carrier Library Instruction Internship
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Goals
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Intern becomes acquainted with theories of library instruction by assisting subject
liaison librarian.
o Intern assists librarian in crating and updating instructional materials.
Activities
o Assist English liaison with updating paper and web-based instructional materials.
o Assist English liaison with creating on-line tutorials using RealPresenter software.
Product:
o Create an original handout, such as a database guide, pathfinder, or bibliography.
3-Cedit Summer Library Instruction Independent Study
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Goals
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Intern becomes acquainted with theories and practices of library instruction.
Intern becomes more knowledgeable about subject research tools.
Intern assists liaison librarians in creating and updating instructional materials in a
variety of subject areas.
Activities
o Follow discussion on one of the significant library instruction listservs.
o Review recent issues of Research Strategies and Journal of Academic
Librarianship (now Portal) to learn about trends in library instruction.
o Assist English liaison with updating paper and web-based instructional materials.
o Assist English liaison with creating on-line tutorials using RealPresenter software.
o Assist other subject liaison librarians with updating or creating specific handouts
or web pages as needed.
Products
o Weekly journal entries documenting exposure to the field of library instruction
and personal reactions.
o Create an in-depth original handout, such as a database guide, pathfinder,
bibliography, or online instruction module OR complete a special project, such as:
 Devising a peer tutoring mechanism for research projects in the major
(research grapevine)
 Develop PR materials for promoting library services and resources to
majors.
3) Employer : Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce
Description: Summer Writing Internships available for English, Communications, and
Marketing students.
The Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce is the dynamic voice for local business.
We are dedicated to improving the quality of life, promoting trade and commerce and general
economic well-being of our community. The Chamber is viewed as the area's business leader and
works with government, education, technology, economic development and other agencies as
partners in progress.
The Harrisonburg area is growing at unprecedented rates and expanding the opportunities and
the Chamber is thriving. The Chamber establishes and promotes business connections for
success in the Valley, promotes Harrisonburg regionally nationally, and internationally, holds
events and training programs, and educates its members on legislation at the state and federal
levels. We have recently expended our vision and taken on exciting new projects that you can
assist with.
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Great opportunity to learn about the business community.
Gain all-around writing experience to support and market local businesses.
Visit and observe the many different local companies of all types and see how they
operate.
Opportunity to work with the Executive Director of the Chamber.
Get a first-class, widely accepted Chamber reference for future employment.
Receive offers for employment.
These are UNPAID internships that are likely to lead into offers for paid internships or paid
employment at the Chamber or with its 700+ members. An excellent reference will be provided
for you at the end of your project(s).
We seek a candidate who like to work with business people and can take on projects and see
them through to completion, be flexible about tasks assigned and work independently with some
supervision and training. Knowledge of Harrisonburg and community and local businesses a
plus. Friendly, personable, and outgoing required as this is a people-oriented position. You must
like working with a dynamic group of people and interesting customers from all walks of life, to
include Fortune 500 corporations. Hours may be scheduled between 8:30 AM and 5 PM,
Monday-Friday. Your own car for visiting offices is desirable (mileage reimbursed).
A college degree is not required and this position can be in partial completion for course work
and may accrue credit hours by mutual agreement with your college. Major with writing
experience and/or press release experience a plus. Duties involve working on newsletter articles,
writing member profiles, and graphic design using Adobe Pagemaker. A directory of
Harrisonburg businesses will be designed. Computer skills: Microsoft Word, Office, Outlook
email program, internet research skills, Microsoft Access database, computer graphic design,
Adobe Pagemaker, an artistic talent and experience writing press releases a plus.
4) Employer : Montpelier, JMU magazine
Description:
Montpelier offers editing and copyediting internships of variable duration (block, semester, 2semesters), 10 hours per week, but hours and schedule depend on student course load and
duration of internship. Up to 4 positions available, from several disciplines, per semester.
Summer positions depend on whether the student has another job that can sustain them. Except
in the rarest circumstances, internships are unpaid.
Montpelier offers interns professional opportunities to practice and hone skills in writing,
editing, copyediting and more, in an intense, focused publishing environment. Interns can/will
work on the quarterly Montpelier magazine, the ongoing Monty Webzine, campus newsletters,
brochures and other publications. Interns receive clear instruction and assignments and one-onone guidance and follow-up on their work. Overall, a worthwhile, hands-on experience and a
convenient location.
Montpelier internships are highly sought after and so are competitive. There are, however,
opportunities for both intermediate and advanced students. Students from the disciplines of
English, technical/scientific writing, journalism, and PR fare especially well. Students from other
disciplines are welcome to apply as well.
5) Employer : Shenandoah Valley-Herald
Description:
UNPAID: The Shenandoah Valley-Herald will accept unpaid part-time interns who want to
cover police, government, courts, sports, shoot photos, write features, edit and paginate pages for
one month. We'll mutually take advantage of each other. We're a small newspaper which can't
afford a large staff, so we need the free stories. You're probably deciding what you want to do for
the rest of your life, and you need information. We'll give you a real-life experience, and of you
realize you want to do this for a living, you'll have a reference and clips to show editors.
PAID: The Shenandoah Valley-Herald is also accepting applications for one full-time paid
summer intern to cover police, government, courts, sports, shoot photos, write features, edit and
paginate pages for 12 weeks. Journalism coursework is not necessary, but you must be willing to
work and have the fortitude to ask hard questions. Experience also isn't necessary, because we'll
give you exact instructions about how to write stories and shoot photos. You'll use your
education and creativity to complete the assignments.
6) Employer : Sunnyside Retirement Community
Description:
Sunnyside Retirement Community adds life to years by offering retirement living choices that
enhance the physical, spiritual, social, psychological and security needs of older adults in caring
Christian communities. We have recently expanded our vision and taken on exciting new
projects that you can assist with.
Sunnyside provides great opportunities for internships because there are a wide variety of
possibilities at its Harrisonburg campus. For example, there are business and marketing,
communication, nursing, hospitality services as well as many other areas of opportunities. A
great benefit is to gain broad experiences that will serve you well; in your future endeavors. The
greatest aspect is that your internship provides a real and vital services to local elderly citizens
A college degree is not required and this position can be a partial completion for course work
and may accrue credit hours by mutual agreement with you college. Strong computer skills,
interpersonal skills, and writing skills sought. As a candidate you will be expected to handle
multiple tasks, manage projects and see them through to completion. The candidate should be
able to work independently with some supervision and training. Hours can be flexible and
scheduled between 8:30 AM and 5:00- PM weekdays and/or some weekends,
These excellent opportunities are unpaid and may be awarded with excellent references for
further at the end of your project.
7) Employer : WVPT Public Television
Description: Students interested in internship experiences throughout the academic year with
WVPT Public Television, located on the JMU campus, should contact us.