News Marketing Intern – ECU News Services starting May 26, 2020
ECU News Services is seeking a student intern with a keen interest and preferably experience in writing, communication marketing, social media and digital content production.
The intern will have a workstation in Howard House, the home of ECU News Services. The office is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Based around class schedule, a work schedule of up to 20 hours a week will be developed. This should be the student’s primary job outside of classes. Some assignments may occasionally require work at night or weekends.
The student will be responsible for coordinating with university photographers and interviewing, writing and producing the Pirate Profiles that appear on www.ecu.edu every three weeks. The interns also will write stories about students, faculty and staff and topics ranging from School of Theatre and Dance productions to special events to research. Students will be expected to write effectively and efficiently in required AP style.
Interns will have the opportunity to collaborate on social media projects for official ECU accounts, including but not limited to using various apps like Over to create a visual social media piece to accompany Pirate Profiles. The ideal candidate will have experience working with the social media platforms Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok and Snapchat. The candidate also will have knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, including but not limited to Photoshop, Premiere Pro, InDesign and After Effects as most assignments with the social media team will involve creating content using this software. The intern will become familiar with and use the team’s social media management platform, Falcon.io, to draft visual pieces for our social media feeds and stories. The intern will have the opportunity to conduct takeovers of university accounts and to take photos and video for use on university accounts. The ideal candidate will be outgoing and willing to be a part of photos and videos posted on ECU’s social media platforms.
Interns will be supervised and mentored by university communication professionals with experience in newspaper reporting, marketing and public relations. Ability to meet deadlines is essential. Additional duties such as answering the office phone to cover lunch breaks or meetings may be assigned.
This position offers growth over the course of the internship. A student can build a portfolio by going beyond the minimum number of Pirate Profile stories and beyond the social media marketing tasks. Interns who become engaged in their role and bring story and social media ideas to the content team will have the most success. The intern will have the opportunity to attend weekly staff meetings as well as bi-monthly ECU Board of Trustees meetings to learn more about university leadership. Other opportunities include: participation in communication strategy for internal and external campaigns; providing media escorts and assisting with press conferences; conducting research for leadership presentations, media statements, etc.; drafting talking points for leadership; assisting with concept and production of divisional marketing efforts, including videos and brochures; research and development of best practices for social media in higher education; and brainstorming original content ideas.
Required qualifications:
Ability to interview and work with students, staff, faculty, administrators and alumni
Ability to write stories and complete tasks by assigned dates
Confidentiality, professionalism, trustworthiness, fair judgment and impartiality are musts
Ability to get along well with people
Ability to work independently
Ability to accept and learn from feedback and revision of stories and work
Curiosity about university life, departments and schools, programs, research and people at ECU
Basic knowledge of Microsoft programs (Word, Excel), as well as Adobe Creative Suite and social media platforms
In addition, preferred qualifications:
Experience in news writing, creative writing, communication skills outside of class assignments
Working knowledge of AP style
Technically sound in grammar and spelling
Comfortable taking photographs and video for social media
Knowledgeable about current events
Up to 20 hours per week with flexible work schedule (around class schedule). Pay is $8 per hour. Starting May 26, 2020 through fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters depending on work ethic and job performance. The goal is for students to work with ECU News Services for a year.
Please submit a resume and three writing samples by email by March 27 to Crystal Baity at baityc@ecu.edu. If possible, please also include samples of social media or digital content work or ideas.