About

The Arcadia Unified School District Digital Communications Internship Program is an integral part of the Communications and Public Information Office. Established in the Spring of 2015, the program is designed for advanced communications and journalism students at Arcadia High School. The program is equivalent to an Advanced Placement (AP) course which prepares students with college and career-ready skills.

The internship is open to all Arcadia High School students who are in good academic standing. There are no prerequisites and no minimum GPA required. There is an application and interview process that prospective students must successfully go through in order to be accepted. Upon initial acceptance, interns go through a probationary period to allow for accurate work assessments. Weekly meetings are comprised of lectures, workshops, professional guest speakers, and discussions. The students also work independently on their own time and with their peers to complete projects and assignments. Ideal candidates have a passion for journalism and digital communications, work collaboratively with others in a team setting, excel while working independently, and are eager to learn.

The specialties covered in the program consist of the following: journalism (including broadcast, print, and digital), communications, video production, marketing, public relations, media relations, crisis communications, event planning, social media, graphic design, business and real world skills such as interview techniques, ethics and professionalism.

The Digital Communications internship program expanded in the fall of 2015 from two to 15 digital journalists that cover news and events happening throughout the entire district. Members of the AUSD Digital Communications Internship Program write news stories, produce videos, create promotional materials, photograph district events, and help organize and publicize district events.

Mr. Foran, who launched and leads the program, has a vast knowledge of both communications and journalism. Before working in media and public relations, he was a television news reporter. Mr. Foran, Arcadia Unified School District's Public Information Officer, has a BA in Broadcast Journalism and an MA in Communications with an emphasis in New Media and Marketing. He has won awards both as a news reporter and a communications professional, taught a multimedia journalism course at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and teaches a Public Speaking course at Citrus College. He has been with Arcadia Unified since August of 2013.

Students with an interest in journalism, communications, video production, marketing, or public relations are encouraged to apply. For more information on internship opportunities, please email Mr. Foran at rforan@ausd.net. To view and complete the Digital Communications Internship Application click here. For the returning students application click here.