AMES, Iowa – Michael Heckle has been selected for the summer 2017 American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) internship program. Heckle, a journalism and mass communication major from West Des Moines, Iowa, will intern in New York at The Forward, a publication that delivers news, culture and commentary to the American Jewish community via print and digital editions and websites in both English and Yiddish.
For 50 years, ASME has sponsored the Magazine Internship Program that places rising college seniors at publications in New York and Washington, D.C. for immersive, 10-week internships. Interns are chosen based on academic record, college media experience and previous internship or work experience at local, regional or national media outlets. Only 10 percent of all applicants are selected, according to ASME’s internship program website.
Heckle aspires to work for a national publication after he graduates. He said he applied for the ASME internship program because of its reputation for providing networking opportunities with top editors and reporters.
“Just having the opportunity to have my name out there is going to open a lot of doors,” Heckle said.
Heckle has served as a news editor, opinion editor and opinion columnist for the Iowa State Daily. He will attend a three-day orientation in New York with the other interns to review the fundamentals of reporting, fact-checking and proofreading before beginning work.
Deb Gibson, Greenlee senior lecturer, reviews and forwards up to two Iowa State applicants to ASME for consideration each year. She said this prestigious paid internship program offers an inside look at the magazine industry and allows students to test the waters of working and living in a large city.
“It offers opportunities for students to work at some of the most historically and culturally rich magazines in the nation,” Gibson said. “I like the fact that it’s organized like a learning community – students not only work for these titles, but they meet as groups and they attend seminars conducted by editors.”
Interns are responsible for housing, travel and personal expenses, but ASME arranges group housing at New York University dorms and provides Washington housing info – a nice perk for interns who aren’t familiar with the cities.
While tasks and responsibilities vary at each internship, Heckle looks forward to researching, reporting and writing for The Forward, including daily briefs, weekly special section pieces and monthly features. He’ll also work closely with The Forward’s opinion section.
“Being a secular person writing about religious things gives me an opportunity to be unbiased,” he said. “I’ll look from outside in, which I think is a lot about what journalism is all about. [I’m excited about] the ability to work on longer form pieces on subjects in which I’m going to need to become more familiar.”