Korva Coleman Diversity in Journalism Internship
The KMUW Korva Coleman Internship is designed to train college students of color to be part of the next generation of public radio reporters and newscasters.
The Coleman intern will get an immersive, hands-on learning experience at KMUW, Wichita’s award-winning National Public Radio station, as well as mentoring from NPR newscaster Korva Coleman.
The internship is for 10 weeks beginning May 27, 2025, and ending Aug. 1. The Coleman intern will work 40 hours a week. They will be paid a $5,000 stipend and receive free room and board.
The Coleman intern will get professional experience reporting and writing for both broadcast and digital platforms. They will work with veteran public radio reporters and editors in the KMUW newsroom. The intern also will receive training to help develop their on-air voice delivery.
At the end of the internship, the Coleman intern will have a formal exit interview with the news director. He will identify the intern’s strengths and weaknesses and areas of growth, as well as provide a formal letter of recommendation reflecting a summary of the internship experience.
The best candidates will have:
- Outstanding writing and reporting skills.
- Experience working for a media outlet, either on campus or in the community. Broadcast experience is a bonus, but not required.
- A strong interest in news and the world around them.
- A genuine desire to learn and pursue NPR-style journalism.
- A curious and creative bent.
- An ability to absorb and apply constructive criticism.
- An ability to work as part of a team.
- A valid driver’s license and a reliable vehicle.
The internship is open to both undergraduate and graduate students. Students must plan to be enrolled for the fall semester of 2025. Applications should include a resume with professional references and four to five examples of the student’s work, either published or broadcast. Finalists will be notified in January and interviewed via Zoom.
The KMUW Korva Coleman Internship is supported by the Kansas Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Send applications to:
Tom Shine, KMUW
Director of News and Public Affairs
shine@kmuw.org
Deadline for applications: January 10, 2025
For further questions, contact Tom at shine@kmuw.org or 316-978-7324.
Coleman Internship Alumni
2023
Tadeo Ruiz Sandoval joined the KMUW newsroom as the second student from the University of Missouri. While he currently lives a state away, his original home resides in Mexico City.
"From day one, it's obvious that KMUW is unlike any other station. Its love for the community shines in every story you do and learn from. Korva Coleman, Tom Shine and every co-worker will become mentors that will alter your perspective on journalism and its true impact. I will forever be grateful for the ways KMUW has changed my life."
2022
Andrew Lopez joined the KMUW newsroom from California, where he is a student at UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism on track to earn a Masters of Journalism degree in 2023.
"Working in such a dynamic newsroom was incredibly enriching and has without a doubt prepared me to work in public media post-graduation. I'll never forget the support and guidance Korva Coleman gave me. Opportunities like this prove that there are newsrooms that genuinely desire to change the face of media in a time where change is much needed." -Andrew Lopez
2021
Katelynn McIlwain joined the KMUW newsroom during the summer of 2021 as our second Korva Coleman intern, but the first to join us in-person.
"I am so grateful to KMUW for supporting and promoting this internship, and I'm excited for the other young journalists who'll be able to come here and start seeing themselves in public media, like I have." -Katelynn McIlwain
2020
KMUW welcomed remotely the station's inaugural Korva Coleman Diversity Intern, Hafsa Quraishi, in the summer of 2020.
"The Korva Coleman Diversity Internship is an incredibly valuable experience and I truly can't wait to see what's next for the program. I can't thank you enough for creating this opportunity to help young journalists of color like me advance our careers. We need programs like this now more than ever and I'm so glad KMUW is doing the work." Hafsa Quraishi
About Korva Coleman
Korva Coleman is an award-winning NPR newscaster with a strong interest in introducing students of color to journalism, in particular public radio journalism.
She will conduct an introductory video call with the selected applicant and hold regular discussions with the intern throughout the summer. She will offer tips and answer any questions about the industry, including her own experiences as a journalist of color.