Your résumé MUST be approved by a CCI Peer Career Advisor in order to apply in Handshake. (If your résumé was approved last year and updated with new experiences, it remains valid.)
Code of Conduct Agreement Required: Middlebury students must review and agree to the Career Center Code of Conduct before applying for this internship. The code establishes expectations for professional and ethical conduct throughout the recruiting process, including honest self-representation, responsible interview practices, and honoring accepted internship offers. These standards outline job search best practices and help maintain Middlebury’s strong relationships with employers.
Documented is an independent, non-profit newsroom dedicated to reporting with and for immigrant communities in New York City.
Our mission: Through community-driven journalism, Documented expands access to news and critical information that helps immigrants in New York and across the country thrive.
We provide original, responsive reporting and actionable resource guides in English, Spanish, Chinese and Haitian Kreyol.
Documented represents a radically different community-driven approach to journalism and information that impacts the everyday experiences of immigrants and the communities where they live.
Winter Term 2027 Community Engagement Journalism Internship
Introduction:
In an era where access to reliable, multilingual news is paramount, Documented, a nonprofit news organization committed to serving New York City’s immigrant communities, proposes a dynamic Community Engagement & Reach Internship Program. This initiative aims to create opportunities for the next generation of young people looking to make an impact for good in our city through the lens of media, technology, and immigrant communities. The internship will focus on one of the most critical issues facing media today: how to expand reach and deepen connection with the communities who are not served by traditional media because of language, cultural and trust barriers, ensuring that critical information reaches those who need it most. Given that young people, especially those from immigrant backgrounds, play an outsized role in ensuring that their families receive critical information and are deeply tapped in to a new and rapidly changing information ecosystem, we believe this internship program will offer a meaningful opportunity for exceptional young people and for Documented and local, multilingual journalism in NY.
Program Overview:
This limited-time internship program (25 + hours/week) will empower up to three motivated individuals to become vital links between our journalism and the communities we serve. Interns will play a crucial role in enhancing our engagement and distribution efforts, with a focus on our service journalism that provides practical, actionable information to immigrant New Yorkers. Selected students who bring funding from their own institutions are welcome to apply as well, but selection will be based on merit. Fluency in other languages, especially Spanish, Chinese, Haitian Kreyol and French, is welcome.
Key Objectives:
- Expand Reach: Identify and engage with online and offline communities, within immigrant-dense neighborhoods in New York City and broader audiences who care about the immigrant communities, to increase the awareness and accessibility of our news content.
- Community Connection: Build relationships with key connectors within immigrant and policymaking communities, fostering partnerships to amplify our journalistic impact.
- In-Person Activations: Organize and execute 1-3 community-specific events (e.g., in Sunset Park) to directly engage with residents, share Documented “news you can use,” increase subscriptions, gather feedback, and build connections.
- Digital Growth: Drive subscriptions and user engagement for our key services, including our Spanish and Chinese language platforms, www.documentedny.com our website, and English-language Early Arrival newsletter.
Intern Responsibilities:
- Research and identify relevant online and offline communities.
- Develop and maintain relationships with community connectors.
- Plan and execute community outreach events.
- Promote our news services, articles and resources.
- Collect and analyze community feedback.
- Goal tracking and reporting.
Educational Component:
This internship is designed to be a valuable learning experience. We will provide:
- Strong supervision including regular updates and feedback sessions.
- Meetings with our staff and advisory committee, comprising experts in various fields, for mentorship, skills building and networking.
Impact and Benefits:
- Increased distribution of vital news and information to underserved communities.
- Enhanced community engagement and trust.
- Growth in subscriptions and user engagement across our platforms.
- Valuable professional development for interns.
- Increased engagement from our advisory board.
Course Credit
The selected intern may apply to earn academic credit through Middlebury’s Winter Term Internship for Credit process. Details and application instructions are available at go/winterinternship.