2024 Summer: Journalism Internships and Opportunities in Colorado

The list below was compiled by Corey Hutchins, for his Inside the News in Colorado newsletter on Substack. Subscribe here! UPDATED APRIL 19, 2024


Bucket List Community Cafe has created an apprenticeship program for the hyperlocal digital news site in Denver. 

  • “Universities want their students to be job-ready when they graduate, with the skills required by today’s newsrooms. Some are. Many are not. They need to report, pitch, shoot, edit, know search engine optimization, analytics and social media, and be able to engage with audiences through newsletters, podcasts and events. If they want to manage these businesses, they need to raise money.”

  • “Up until now this has been an opportunity for CU Boulder, MSU Denver and DU students who intern for Bucket List Community Cafe,” says founder Vicky Collins.  

  • For those who choose to stay beyond their internships, Bucket List Community Cafe offers a year-long ramp after interns graduate where they get paid $200 a story or $20 per hour up to 20 hours a month if they are on the engagement and entrepreneurship team. “We have found that those who stay with us beyond the semester-long internship learn much more and do better finding job opportunities,” Collins says. 

  • Visit Bucket List Community Cafe’s website and contact publisher Vicky Collins at vicky[at]teletrendstv[dot]com for more information.   


Boulder Reporting Lab is currently seeking a paid summer Community Reporting Fellow as part of a Colorado Media Project grant to the nonprofit digital newsroom to support equity and inclusion. The 10-week internship opportunity is for an emerging higher-ed journalist from BIPOC communities. Contact Stacy Feldman at stacy[at]boulderreportinglab[dot]org.


Colorado Community Media is currently seeking two paid internships for the summer in the Denver area.

  • A digital production intern will “work alongside the digital editor and digital assistant to create a plan for social media strategies and special projects,” and more. 

  • A summer reporting intern will “hit the ground running and get real-world experience in all aspects of news and features reporting, including source development, interviewing, multimedia storytelling and audience engagement,” and more. 


Colorado Public Radio has two internships open:

  • A human resources data intern will “support the People and Culture team by helping to analyze and report on internal personnel and external applicant data, and work to support the team’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives and goals.”

  • An events intern will “assist in organizing fundraising events, live broadcasts and community engagement initiatives, playing a pivotal role in enhancing CPR’s connection with its audience.”


The Colorado Sun’s summer Rise & Shine teen workshop (deadline 6 p.m., April 21):

  • “The free workshop, designed for middle and high schoolers across the state, will teach students how to find stories, interview sources, master storytelling, photograph subjects and more.”

  • “Up to 15 students across Colorado can spend a week of their summer exploring their curiosity, learning how to investigate news tips and polishing their storytelling skills in The Colorado Sun’s third annual Rise and Shine Journalism Workshop.”

  • “Applications for the free workshop, which will be held June 12-16 over Zoom … can be found here.” (Applicants notified May 5.)


Colorado Times Recorder, a progressive nonprofit digital newsroom offers rolling part-time paid internships “with a three-month commitment required.” Complete Colorado, the digital news and commentary arm of the libertarian-leaning Independence Institute, says it would consider an intern for its Future Leaders program.


KGNU public radio in Boulder is kicking off a bilingual internship with the University of Denver’s media and Spanish departments, and might have some other opportunities. Students are encouraged to check Handshake on the station’s internships page where they have openings for a radio news intern and music intern.


KRDO TV in Colorado Springs states that Telemundo in Southern Colorado is “looking for bi-lingual students with a strong interest in reporting, producing, web, mobile and social media platforms. Applicants should be bi-lingual, native Spanish speakers preferred.”


The Rural Journalism Institute of the San Luis Valley will hold two professional development workshops on June 18 in Alamosa and June 19 in Monte Vista, so keep an eye on their site for details. Both workshops will focus around “using your smartphone for content development, whether it’s for audio or photography.”