The State Government Communication class (COM 465) places students in paid, full-time reporting and writing jobs during the state Legislative session in Olympia. Students in this application-only class work for 10 weeks with an outlet at the state Capitol and gain invaluable training in deadline publishing and public affairs by working alongside professionals who report on and participate in public-policy formulation and state government operations.
Students leave the program with a portfolio of published work and professional experience, as well as a network of professional contacts inside and outside the journalism-communications industry.
Students in this class, which has been part of the UW Communication department for nearly 50 years, provide a critical service to the public, news outlets, and anyone who cares about government accountability in a democratic society.
Deadline to apply for Winter Quarter 2026 program: Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, midnight.
Information: Please contact Program Director Andrea Otáñez with questions: aotanez@uw.edu. An information session will be held early in Fall Quarter. Details on the meeting time will be distributed via email, in your classes, and on fliers around the department.
Training: A mandatory training is tentatively set for part of Thursday Nov. 20 and most of Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, for the selected interns. We will also meet for introductions shortly after the cohort is selected in early November. After this training with UW faculty and other professionals and alumni of the Olympia program, students will work directly with an editor or communications director and are supported by the program director before and during the Winter Quarter session in Olympia.
Long-term benefits for Olympia alumni
Recent COM 465 alumni have gone on to report for a variety of news outlets, including Los Angeles Times, The Seattle Times, The Wenatchee World, Washington State Standard, Northwest News Radio, The Stranger, Associated Press, The Washington Post, The Daily Herald of Everett, Reuters, and international outlets. Others have become staffers with political parties and politicians at all levels of government, and others work in nonpartisan government offices. Alumni from the more distant past work at all levels of reporting and management for news outlets around the state, country, and world.
Sample work from UW Olympia legislative interns: Juan Jocom, Aspen Anderson, Sofia Scharzwalder, Taylor Richmond, Emma Schwichtenberg, Elizah Lourdes Rendorio, Claudia Yaw, Shauna Sowersby, Leona Vaughn, Jake Goldstein-Street, Josh Kelety, Agatha Pacheco Flores, Max Wasserman, Walker Orenstein, Cooper Inveen, Izumi Hansen, Grace Swanson, Enrique Perez de la Rosa, Starla Sampaco
Who should apply?
Students who have completed most of the UW Journalism and Public Interest Communication sequence, especially COM 362 or COM 364 and their prerequisites; students who report for The Daily; and/or students with freelance or internship experience are encouraged to apply. Published text or audio or video clips are a critical component of the application process.
Where might you work?
Students chosen for this capstone experience have been assigned to cover the Washington Legislature for outlets of all kinds. In the recent past, interns have been placed at The Seattle Times, Cascade PBS, Northwest News Network, and the Columbia Basin Herald. A premier UW Olympia partner is the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association (WNPA). Interns for the WNPA report for a network of 110 community news outlets around the state. We are working to expand this list to communication teams within state government agencies and nonprofit organizations.
Immersive experience
Applicants must commit to working full time in Olympia during Winter Quarter. The program stipend typically has worked out to about $300 per week for 10 weeks.
Equipment and credits
Students will enjoy access to department laptops, cameras, and recorders during their internships. Students earn 12 credits for this State Government Communication class.
Application process
To apply, please email all materials listed below in a single PDF to Andrea Otáñez, aotanez@uw.edu. Applications must be received before or on the deadline listed above.
- A 1-2 page letter of application that outlines career goals, journalism training and any other relevant public-interest communication experience.
- Links to four published clips. Send only clips fully reported and written by the applicant. Co-bylined stories will be considered, but are less desirable for the evaluation process.
- Be sure any professionally used social media accounts appear on your resume.
- Academic transcript (unofficial is fine).
- List of journalism classes taken, including instructors’ names and the quarter you took the classes.
- Names and contact information for two references who can speak about your reporting and writing abilities. It’s best if one is an academic contact and the other a professional contact.
- Please note: Finalists will be interviewed by the program coordinator, an editor from the news outlet, and may be asked to complete a reporting / writing test.