Call for Applications: Reporter/Producer Internship with KSQD Community Radio – Spring 2024

Application Deadline: February 25, 2024 

The Humanities Division is excited to announce an experiential learning opportunity for Humanities undergraduates at UC Santa Cruz to work with KSQD Community Radio. Internships connect Humanities majors and minors to projects in the community, with the aim of mutually benefiting students and organizations. Students gain practical experience, professional training, and learn about positions outside of the university that build on their studies in the Humanities. At the same time, community organizations benefit from students’ assistance and academic expertise. 

About KSQD:

KSQD is a community radio station based in Santa Cruz, broadcasting to the whole Monterey Bay area on 90.7FM, 89.7FM and 89.5FM. We recommend any applicants listen to the station and browse our website to see if we are a good fit. The mission of Natural Bridges Media/KSQD is to build community through quality broadcasts, podcasts, training programs and community events. We celebrate the uniqueness of our region through news, arts, and culturally diverse programming. We are mostly volunteer-run, with two part-time paid staff and 140 volunteers. The station is run by a board of directors of 10, Natural Bridges Media. We do broadcasting, podcasting and events as well as social media outreach.

 Position Description: Reporter-Producer 

KSQD is seeking an intern to learn radio writing, reporting, producing, and editing for community radio stations. 

RESPONSIBILITIES AND EXPECTATIONS 

• Radio Writing (20%): Write short radio news stories about local topics
• Research & Reporting (35%): help research local topics and procure guests for talk shows, conduct interviews
• Producing (20%):  learn to operate radio equipment; read and talk live on the air.  
• Editing (15%) 
• Fundraising (10%): Help with fundraising events as needed

REQUIRED Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

• You are a declared major or minor in the Humanities Division. Proposed majors must be eligible to declare during the current academic year. 
• Punctuality and good communication skills in person and via phone/email/text 
• Careful attention to detail in correcting mistakes
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with deadlines
• Basic understanding of journalism practices, ethics and processes with attention to fairness, objectivity and fact checking. 
• Responsible, proactive, and reliable work habits

PREFERRED Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities (KSQD will train you)

• Radio or podcasting, live or produced
• Knowledge of/interest in local issues and news
• Social media
• The ability to write with clarity and conciseness for radio audiences 
• Ability to use or learn to use technology quickly and accurately
• Public speaking/Reading aloud
• Interviewing 
• Digital editing 

What You’ll Gain From This Experience: You will work with a mentor on various projects both in the studios at 399 Encinal Street and at home and in the field doing radio reporting. You will get help on script writing, voice work, interview techniques, and technical skills.

Internship Term: Mid-March through June 14, 2024

Hours: 10-20 hours/week

Compensation: $20/hour 

Location: Hybrid. When working on site, our studio is located at 399 Encinal Street. 

Reports to:  Howard Feldstein and Rachel Goodman, UCSC Lecturer and KSQD Board Chair.

How To Apply

Apply by submitting your resume and a short cover letter (no more than one page) answering these questions: Why this job? Why you? Why now? 

Please address your cover letter to Rachel Goodman. 

• A tip for writing this cover letter is to consider how this position will further your undergraduate studies as well as your professional career once you have completed your education. 
• Review these resume and cover letter resources to ensure that you are a strong candidate. 

Once the application window closes on Sunday February 25, there will be a virtual interview process for top candidates with KSQD’s Program Director and Board Chair. This position is expected to begin orientation with KSQD during the week of March 11, 2024. 

NOTE: This internship is compensated through either student employment with UCSC or through a scholarship award. If you’re a financial aid applicant, the scholarship award option would be incorporated into your aid offer to meet your budgeted cost of attendance. A student must have room in their financial aid package to receive an experiential learning scholarship award.  In most cases the award will fill any gap between your aid and budget, or the award will reduce your loan obligation. Once factored into your aid offer, the award is paid through to your UC Santa Cruz student account. If you owe fees for the term in which the award is applied, the award will apply to those fees first. Any remaining funds will be issued to you via direct deposit or by check, depending on how you are signed up to receive refunds. A student must have room in their financial aid package to get a department award. If the scholarship award is for summer, you need to be enrolled in 6+ units. 

If you have questions about how this award would affect your current aid, please contact the Financial Aidand Scholarship Office at finaid@ucsc.edu or 831-459-2963.

Please contact Experiential Learning Coordinator Kylie Rachwalski at hum-experiential-learning@ucsc.edu with any questions.

NOTE: This undergraduate internship is generously supported by The Mellon Foundation.