Apprenticeships and Internships

All UMF Creative Writing majors are required to complete an apprenticeship or internship. Most students start thinking about this early, and complete the apprenticeship some time in their Junior or Senior year. The apprenticeship is meant to give writing students practical experience in their craft and in related fields. There are many apprenticeship opportunities already established; though it is possible to create an individual apprenticeship (and in the process create an ongoing opportunity for future students). All apprenticeships earn 4 credits, all are offered pass/fail; all require real dedication and commitment.

To sign up for an apprenticeship, a student must see one of the creative writing faculty for advice: creative writing faculty serve as apprenticeship advisors and supervisors. Next, the student should contact one of the people offering apprenticeships and find out if he or she is willing to be a sponsor. (Note: this process should start midway through the semester before the one in which you wish to pursue an apprenticeship.) Because acceptance to some of the apprenticeships is competitive, the best approach is to start early.

When a student has settled on an apprenticeship, she must submit a directed study form describing the proposed apprenticeship. The form is available from the Humanities Department Administrative Assistants. Once signed by the appropriate advisor and the Humanities Department chair, this form becomes the ticket for registration.

In many cases (Farmington Flyer, Sandy River Review, etc.), a student’s chance for getting the apprenticeship she wants will be helped by prior involvement with the organization in question. That is, it’s never too early to get involved.

Some apprenticeship possibilities follow. (All are available for pre-apprenticeship, non-credit work, too.) Students are also encouraged to seek other apprenticeship opportunties--but be sure to clear them with faculty.

Alice James Books.  Award-winning poetry press located on the UMF campus. Multiple positions. Contact April Ossmann, 778-7071.

Sandy River Review. Campus literary magazine. Editor and Assistant Editor. This is a full year position. One semester's Assistant Editor becomes the next semester's Editor. Contact April Ossmann or current editor.

Sandy River Review Web Editor. This position requires web design skills. Primary job is to design a web page for the SRA that will be linked to the BFA Program website. Secondary job is to archive past copies of the SRA online. Contract Prof. pat O'Donnell. podonnel@maine.edu.

Lewiston Sun-Journal. Farmington Office. Reporter. Contact Liz Chapman, Regional Editor, 1-800-482-0753.

Farmington Flyer. UMF Student Newspaper.  Editor and Assistant Editor. Contact Luanne Yetter, 778-7568.

Voices. UMF's annual magazine of writing from first-year Composition. Contact Tiane Donahue, 778-7473

Beloit Poetry Journal.  Farmington-based national literary magazine. Contact Lee Sharkey, 778-7370.

Franklin Journal. Local newspaper. News and features. Contact Mike Peterson, Editor, 778-2075.

Ripple. UMF's Feminist Zine. Contact current editor or Women's Studies Program, 778-7387.

The Aurorean. Local poetry journal. Contact Cynthia Brackett-Vincent, Editor, 778-0467.

Farmington First. The UMF Alumni magazine. Contact Mark Glass Editor, 778-7090.
 

The Daily Bulldog. Local on-line newspaper. Features and news. Contact Bobbie Hanstein, Editor-- editor@dailybulldog.com.

Farmington Public Library. Positions writing for the library website, including book reviews and other projects. Contact library director Melanie Coombs. 778-4312.

Maine Arts Commission. For information go to the Maine Arts Commission website: www.mainearts.com and
navigate to the MaineArtsMag and then to "Opportunities". Contact Bryan W. Knicely, assistant director, at
207/287-2714 or email at bryan.knicely@maine.gov.

Franklin County Literacy Volunteers. Contact: Joan Moes 778-3460. Tutoring adults in reading skills. Students may take a six-week long free course in tutoring, which begins in early October and ends in November, meeting for three hours per evening once a week. After that, they may be assigned to be mentors. Work takes places at the Literacy Volunteer headquarters on Main Street in Farmington (near Aardvark Sports).

The Ski Museum of Maine. Located on Church Street in Farmington. The ski museum documents and celebrates skiing and the ski industry in Maine. Apprenticeship involves locating artifacts for the museum and researching and writing bout them for the museum catalogue and displays. Contact Megan Roberts. 491-5481. http://www.skimuseumofmaine.org/