Internship Opportunities

Wayne State University Press offers two internship opportunities for those interested in publishing: a combined internship in Acquisitions and Editorial, Design, and Production and one in Sales and Marketing.

As an intern with the Acquisitions and Editorial, Design, and Production departments, interns learn about all the pieces that go together to create scholarly books. As an intern with the Marketing Department, interns learn about the steps presses take to sell and promote books.

Our internships are unpaid and are offered throughout the year. If you are a student, your department might offer you credit for an internship with us. We are happy to work with your institution. Many of our interns are students, but being enrolled in school is not a requirement. We ask for a commitment of twenty hours per week and will work with you to accommodate your schedule. We are also willing to consider two-semester internships.

Our interns have gone on to summer publishing programs and to jobs with other university presses. The value of an internship is not only the hands-on experience but also the opportunity to show a potential employer that you are committed to publishing.

Our interns do real, hands-on work and are expected to take the initiative in their own learning. These are some of the duties:

Acquisitions and Editorial, Design, and Production

  • Attend department and staff meetings, if schedule allows
  • Track information through spreadsheets and presswide database
  • Correspond with authors and reviewers
  • Assist with review and approval process
  • Prepare projects for copyediting and design
  • Review sample edits from copyeditors
  • Review page proof and edit indexes

Marketing and Sales

  • Attend department and staff meetings, if schedule allows
  • Write press releases and design flyers
  • Assist with direct mail promotions
  • Research awards and exhibits information
  • Correspond with authors
  • Provide clerical support
  • Send materials to sales representatives of Wayne State University Press books

We have three intern periods per year: Winter (January to May); Summer (May to August); and Fall (September to December).

The next available internship with Marketing is for Winter 2010.

The next available internship with Acquisitions and Editorial, Design, and Production is for Winter 2010.

Internship deadlines

For Winter 2010 (January to May), please apply by October 2, 2009. We will let you know our decision by October 23.

For Summer 2010 (May to August), please apply by February 12. We will let you know our decision by March 5.

For Fall 2010 (September to December), please apply by June 18, 2010. We will let you knowour decision by July 9.

Application materials should be sent by email and must include a current resume and a cover letter discussing your interest in an internship with Wayne State University Press. In your letter please tell us what department you would like to work with and what you hope to learn. We don't expect you to have a career plan laid out, and we don't expect you to have experience in or extensive knowledge about publishing. We do expect your letter to be clearly written and to show why you want to intern at Wayne State University Press.

Depending on the number of applicants, we might choose to interview individuals or to ask for additional writing samples. We work with only two interns per semester.

To apply

For a combined internship in Acquisitions and Editorial, Design, and Production, contact Kristin Harpster Lawrence: khlawrence@wayne.edu For an internship in Sales and Marketing, contact Margaret Erdman: margaret.erdman@wayne.edu

For general information about our internships, please contact Kristin Harpster Lawrence: at khlawrence@wayne.edu