Multicultural Internship Program
The Illinois Broadcasters Association’s Multicultural Internship Program is a nationally recognized program. IBA has nurtured a diverse group of future Illinois broadcasters, offering them opportunities to work and grow with some of the most dedicated professionals in broadcasting. IBA MIP interns work at radio and television stations throughout Illinois. The experiences they report and the successes they achieve reflect the time and resources IBA has committed to the Multicultural Internship Program.
The goal of the MIP program is to increase diversity among the staffs of Illinois broadcasters. Candidates should be from Illinois and currently attend a college or university in Illinois. Priority consideration is given to students who have completed their junior year of college. They are chosen by their schools as applicants in a highly competitive process that ultimately whittles down a pool of quality candidates for paid summer internships. Candidates come from state universities and colleges that are Academics members of the IBA.
Applications are reviewed by IBA’s MIP Director, the now-retired award-winning Chicago TV news director, television station manager, and IBA’s 2023 Chicago Broadcast Pioneer, Frank Whittaker. MIP interns are employed by IBA-member stations as summer interns, and the stations are reimbursed with a stipend for the cost of the internship. Students will develop a work schedule in conjunction with the sponsor station and the IBA Coordinator. The MIP Director monitors the intern’s progress, debriefs the interns at the conclusion of their internships and serves as a mentor before, during and after the internship.
Potential candidates should work with their IBA Academic Committee member on campus to begin the process. Check with your department chair, counselor, or college internship coordinator for information.