Internships
About the Internship Program
An internship is a cooperative learning arrangement between a private or governmental institution and the Communication Department that allows Communication students to apply their knowledge and skills in a professional setting. The internship program is a natural extension of Cal Poly Pomona's learn-by-doing philosophy.
The internship must be a mentoring experience. In other words, the intern's immediate supervisor should have significantly greater experience and expertise than the intern relative to in the specific job functions performed by the intern, and the immediate supervisor should be willing and capable of teaching and coaching the intern.
The internship program benefits students by allowing for these opportunities:
- Gain on-the-job work experience
- Establish professional contacts in the field
- Assess their knowledge and skills, and determine where improvement is needed
- Develop professional portfolio materials
By interning with an institution in their field of specialization, students have the opportunity to work with professionals, apply classroom knowledge, and learn firsthand about the demands and rewards of work in the particular profession. Internships also give students a chance to network with people in the industry. Sometimes, internships turn into full-time jobs for students after graduation.
Opportunities
Some of the organizations that have sponsored Communication Department interns:
KABC-TV, KNBC-TV, KTLA-TV, ESPN, CNN, Telemundo, LA Times, Orange County Register, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, American Cancer Society, Street League Skateboarding, Mean Street, Brand DNA, MTV, Bank of America, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, Pasadena Magazine, Horse Racing Network, MVP Sports Group, Cal Poly Public Affairs, Cal Poly Athletics, Cal Poly Special Events, Yahoo, Sacks/FullerAdvertising, Westin Bonaventure Hotel, Walt Disney, Paramount Pictures, CableVision, Sony, Warner Brothers, Telemundo 52, Wonderland Sound and Vision, Los Angeles Kings, LAX, CSP Consultants, Dick Clark Productions, Intervalley Health Plan, Citrus College, KBIG Radio, CBS Radio, and the Los Angeles Mayor's Office.
To see what organizations are currently seeking interns, keep tabs on our Communication Department social media accounts, where we post about internship opportunities as we hear about them.
Eligibility
Students must meet the internship eligibility requirements, specified by their option, before being approved for any internship:
- Internship Eligibility Questionnaire: Interpersonal Communication Option
- Internship Eligibility Questionnaire: Multimedia Journalism Option
- Internship Eligibility Questionnaire: Organizational Communication Option
- Internship Eligibility Questionnaire: Public Relations Option
If you have questions about the internship program, contact the Communication Department's internship coordinator Dr. Richard Kallan.