Eastern Illinois University

English Links

Internships for English Majors

Local internships may be arranged through ENG 4275, Internship in Professional Writing, a credit-bearing course that may be taken in fall, spring, or summer. ENG 4275 provides practical experience in the local community.

Whether or not you take ENG 4275, you may want to apply to already existing internships or find volunteer opportunities to start gaining work-related experience before you find yourself on the job market.

What follows is a representative list of internship openings, mostly in Illinois, mostly for summer 2009 (some are for spring 2009, but you might want to check back for summer listings; others are for summer 2008, but the listing will give you an idea of what to expect for summer 2009).

Some points to keep in mind:

Internship openings are as competitive as jobs. Yes, even the unpaid internships. So don't assume that because you've applied to one internship program that you know what you'll be doing this summer. If you want to get some work-related experience this summer, you'll need to put together a really strong application package and apply to several internships. You might also want to line up a volunteer position as a back-up in case none of your internships come through.
Volunteer work, if it results in meaningful work experience, still counts as "professional experience." So if you can't find the internship you want, look for relevant volunteer positions; you might even consider approaching an organization to volunteer your services.
The list here is designed to give you an idea of the kinds of internships you might look for; most of these internships are in Chicago, though a few are located elsewhere.

If you don't already have a resumé, now is the time to put one together—and to start thinking about how you can add to it.

Corporate Communication/P.R.

Allstate Internships (search for Communications or Human Resources; Northbrook, IL)

State Farm (headquarters in Bloomington, IL; variety of internship programs)

Argonne National Laboratory (science writing; paid; near Chicago)

Advertising/Branding/P.R. Companies

Killian & Co. (Chicago--Greektown)

Burston-Marsteller (public relations/communications; Chicago; application deadline for summer Feb. 20, 2009)

R.J. Dale Advertising and Public Relations (Chicago)

Non-Profit

American Cancer Society (Chicago; communications intern, unpaid)

Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri (St. Louis)