Taking the next step

With my deadline of three weeks coming to a close, I have wrote a business letter. This letter will be sent to various people in hopes of gaining an internship.

This is an example of the letter I was talking about. I have cut out most of the address information for privacy sake.

My name is Jesse Irons and I am an undergraduate student in the English department here at West Virginia University. I am inquiring about a chance to intern at the Alumni Magazine for my English 491a class. I hope to start a career as an editor in publishing and have dedicated my four years in the Professional Writing and Editing program at WVU to reach my goal. If you accept me as an intern, this will be my first major step towards that goal.

Outside of formal education, I have experience helping friends and family edit and write various assignments in both MLA and APA style format. I have detailed knowledge of Microsoft Office and I am currently learning webpage design. I have worked hard learned what it will take to be a professional editor. All I need is more experience, which I hope to gain as an intern.

This internship will be given my upmost care and respect, with my schedule revolving around yours. My professor, Dr. @#$!@, is requiring that I complete 140 hours as an intern before the semesters up. I am more than happy to provide any information about myself or the class that may be a concern for you. I will organize the information into a web portfolio with my work and experience with the Alumni Magazine, which I will gladly share with you.

I hope that we can meet as so as possible. I do ask that you respond within one to two week after receiving this letter. I have learned so much at WVU, but nothing can compare to knowledge from experience. By working as an intern with the Alumni Magazine, I can learn how to truly be a professional editor. I hope you will respond favorably to my request, and please feel free to ask any questions or concerns you may have.

Sincerely,

Jesse Irons

The search is on

Today I took my first steps to find a internship that would interest me. I am looking for something along the lines of editing, to be within the University, and paid. I really don't think I can find a paid internship, but that's not a big deal. It is important that it be in Morgantown because I do not have a car and bus schedules are unreliable.

Internships for English majors at WVU include working with: the Center for Literary Computing, the WVU Alumni Magazine, the WVU Press, and the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences College Relations Director.

The Center for Literary Computing sounds like it could be fun. I have experience with both iMac and PC, detailed knowledge of Mircosoft Office and Photoshop, have volunteered time teacher computers to elderly people, and I am currently learning how to build webpages in my 303 and 304 English classes. I can see myself editing things like manuals and webpages. The only thing I can't edit are lines of complex codes.

When I took English 302, one of the projects I did was to edit a newsletter for the WVU Alumni Magazine. The project taught me to check for consistency in both visual and within the text. I can continue to do that as well as edit anything else.

Its my understanding that the WVU Press isn't looking for anymore interns right now. I'm not sure I can see myself there anyway.

I couldn't find anything to specific about an internship at Eberly College of Arts and Sciences College Relations Director. I'm sure it's their but I could only find news about internships in Europe. I'd be all about going to Europe for an internship if I wasn't already taking other classes. I'm not too sure about what I would do their.

There is one other place; Populore Publishing. I interviewed the head editor of Populore for my English 301 class. Populore would allow me to edit in fiction and non-fiction, which I hope to do in the future. Im sure I can find an internship their if I ask, but I would like to branch out a little if I could.

The key to being good at an internship is to be practical and inovative. I know I have the skills to anything thats asked of me as an intern while still domonstrating my strenght as an editor.

First Day in 491a

This is the end of the of 301 and start of 491a

Today was the first day of my English 491a class. This class is my capstone and needed in order for me to graduate this semester. Basically, I have to complete 140 hours as an intern in an area that interests me. I'm a little nervous because many of my fellow classmates have already know where they are interning. However, I am confident that I can find an internship within the first three weeks of this semester.

The teacher requires me to keep up with the reading and careful keep track of what I learn. Pretty cut and dry, just like 301. I must keep track of everything I do and learn, then present my learning experience towards the end of the semester. As long as I keep track of everything I do, learned, and applied in the class. I should have plenty of meaningful content to present.