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Rural Oklahoma is currently experiencing a huge challenge in getting news that is relevant to local communities. This is a national challenge, termed “News Deserts,” that is getting national attention and for which Oklahoma is one of the hardest-hit states. The School of Media & Strategic Communications (SMSC) at OSU has a proud tradition of preparing students for successful careers and for providing them with a well-rounded foundation of skills and appreciation for the importance of mass communication in American society. With half of the population in Oklahoma residing outside of metro areas, it’s important for students to have career exposure to life as a rural journalist, covering many subject areas and traveling far and wide in a day’s work. Under-staffed rural Oklahoma news outlets are also in dire need of help.
The rural Oklahoma journalism internship will provide paid internships for students to gain experience outside the classroom. Students will spend their summer in a rural area of the state working for media/news agency and covering the gamut of rural life, understanding the importance of keeping rural communities connected and seeing this as a potential career path after graduation. Thank you for investing in the next generation of journalists and the rural communities many Oklahomans call home!
Leslie Wright is generously matching the first $5,000 to the newly established Rural Journalism Internship Fund to support students with scholarships for life-changing internships as they gain experience covering news in rural communities.
This will cover the average cost of a tank of fuel that interns will use traveling for stories during their internship.
150 miles is the average mileage a rural reporter logs in a week covering stories.
Students will work on average 360 hours over the course of the 9-week internship.
This will coverage the average monthly rent cost in rural Oklahoma.