The Society of Professional Journalists offers multiple career development opportunities each year for its valued student members. Here are a few of those opportunities with approaching deadlines.

PULLIAM/KILGORE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION INTERNSHIPS

POSTMARK DEADLINE: JANUARY 18, 2012

SPJ annually awards two Pulliam/Kilgore Freedom of Information Internships. One intern works in the offices of the Society’s First Amendment legal counsel in Washington, D.C. The other intern works at the Society’s National Headquarters in Indianapolis.

The interns research and write about freedom of information issues while assisting the Society’s Freedom of Information Committee and First Amendment legal counsel in preparing SPJ’s annual Freedom of Information Report. Other responsibilities may include working on the SPJ Web site and assisting with SPJ programs and initiatives.

Interns receive a stipend of $400 per week and work during a mutually agreeable 10-week period during the summer. Recipients are notified in February and should arrange to start their internships in late May or early June.

HIGH SCHOOL ESSAY CONTEST

POSTMARK DEADLINE: March 8, 2012

Essay Topic: ““Why is it important that we have news media that are independent of the government?”

SPJ wants to increase high school students’ knowledge and understanding of the importance of independent media to our lives. National winners of this essay contest receive scholarship awards.

The contest is open to all students enrolled in grades 9-12 in U.S. public, private and home schools. Students must submit original work and have a sponsoring teacher sign the contest entry form.

The essay should be 300-500 words and must include an entry form. Entries may be typed or  handwritten but must be double-spaced. Send all entries to the participating chapter in your state.

You can download the entry form and read the contest rules here: http://www.spj.org/a-hs.asp

TED SCRIPPS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE: JUNE 1-3, 2012

POSTMARK DEADLINE: March 15, 2012

For SPJ student and professional chapters to be successful, they must do the right thing in the right way.

The Ted Scripps Leadership Institute helps participants learn how to do just that by offering a mix of sessions focused on interpersonal and organizational leadership skills, as well as sound chapter management practices. The program was established in 1996 and is funded through a generous grant from the Scripps Howard Foundation.

The program is open to those who will be serving as chapter president during the 2012-2013 school year. This is an invitation-only program. Applications will be reviewed and invitations will be extended to no more than 50 participants. A submitted application does not guarantee an invitation for this program. All applications must be submitted using the online application form.

Participants’ travel, lodging, and meal costs are provided. Incidentals and spending money are the responsibility of the participant.

Each selected participant will be required to make an investment of $100 in their training upon acceptance into the program. If you are accepted into the program, you must participate in all training sessions/activities held during the Institute.

Here is a detailed program schedule: http://www.spj.org/scrippslt-schedule.asp

For more information about participating in this program, contact Heather Dunn at 317/927-8000 ext. 204 or via e-mail.

As you spent the first week of 2012 writing your New Year’s resolutions, what did you include on your list?  Hit the gym? Eat healthy? Quit procrastinating? Well, surely you’ve remembered to add this: Become an award-winning journalist. If not, you’ve got just a few more weeks to add it to your list!

Each year the Society of Professional Journalists presents the Mark of Excellence Awards, which honors the best in student journalism. The awards offer categories for print, radio, television and online collegiate journalism. This year’s deadline is on January 25, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time).

The contest is open to anyone enrolled in a college or university in the U.S. studying for an academic degree in 2011. The entrant must have been enrolled as a student at the time of publication or broadcast. Students who have had full-time, professional journalism experience, outside of internships, are not eligible. Entries must have been published or broadcast during 2011.

Entries are first judged on the regional level. First place regional winners advance to the national competition and are recognized at SPJ spring conferences. National winners will be showcased on spj.org.

Ready to apply? Make sure you read the Mark of Excellence rules before submitting your entry!

What should a winning entry look like? Review the work of the 2010 National MOE Winners and Finalists: http://www.spj.org/moe10.asp

Frequently Asked Questions: http://awards.spj.org/frequently-asked-questions.aspx

Got a question that’s not included above? Contact SPJ at 317/927-8000 or e-mail awards@spj.org.