Going into my internship with Sigma Tau Delta’s journals, Rectangle and Review, I thought I would enjoy reading for Rectangle more. I have worked with my school’s literary journal, Reunion: The Dallas Review, since 2017 in various capacities, and this internship was similar in scope, and I found similar joy in reading the creativity of others. I am a fiction writer, a fiction reader—fiction is my jam, and I have a relatively newfound like of poetry and creative non-fiction. I did really enjoy the reading and rating period, as I knew I would. The range of submission topics was wide and varying. I read submissions about Black Lives Matter and Alzheimer’s, Marjorie Stoneman Douglas and kind, loving siblings. I learned that lilapsophobia is the fear of tornadoes, and was reminded that Picasso was kind of a jerk. I read traditional writing and experimental writing. I read a poem with footnotes—not ones that referenced other words, like you’d assume, but ones that explained the meaning of onomatopoeia, ones that presented postmodern corrections and references to themselves. I sympathized with internalized homophobia and empathized with the duality of Arab Americanness. Throughout, I marveled at the variety of human experience, and I was grateful I got to travel along others’ paths through their words. This internship was a lot of work, don’t get me wrong, but it was amazing work, and I truly enjoyed reading and rating the submissions.
After the reading period, though, was the editing phase, which sounded beyond tedious. First, we had to read the essays and check citations. For each of the five essays I worked on, I found the texts referenced, found the lines within the texts, and matched the wording and punctuation, keeping the original even when it was outdated (which I think many people don’t realize MLA does). I had to use every resource I had learned in my graduate career to find the materials. Some of them were incredibly obscure, but I have been a student for a long time. I was able to find them. Next, I checked the paper against the source. A few things I looked at:
- Is the quotation exact, word for word, punctuation for punctuation?
- Is the citation in MLA format?
- Does the works cited page look right?
I checked, I corrected, I checked again—and I loved every minute of it. While it was hard, tedious work, I found my brain wholly engaged in a way I didn’t expect. I struggle with anxiety and depression, with ADHD, but I learned that proofreading is so all-encompassing it calms me. The rigidity of grammar and formatting is somehow soothing to my overworked brain. Where I’m sure most people detest the tedium, I thrived. Thanks to the summer internship with Rectangle and Review, I found a new way to help calm my brain. Creativity will always be my love, a great way to unwind, and I will always enjoy traveling through other people’s stories and experiences through their words but with this internship I learned structure and grammar—proofreading—are the peanut butter to my fiction jam.
Claim your copy of the 2022 Sigma Tau Delta Journals to enjoy all of Kriss’ hard work!
Kriss Kirk
Sigma Tau Delta Journal Internship Recipient, 2021
Alpha Psi Nu Chapter
The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX
Sigma Tau Delta Journal Internship
A paid three-month internship opportunity is available with the Sigma Tau Delta Journals. This opportunity will provide a minimum of two Sigma Tau Delta student members (undergraduate or graduate) with editorial and publication experience. These interns will work with the Managing Editor on the publications, from May 10 until August 10. The interns may complete this internship from any location, so long as they have reliable internet access. Each intern will be paid $300 per month for three months.
Applicants must be prepared to accept the internship and its conditions if it is awarded to them. Failure to do so may jeopardize the continuation of the internship program.
Job Summary
Under the Managing Editor’s direction, interns will:
- Read and evaluate submissions
- Edit accepted submissions for publication
- Communicate regularly via email and/or Skype with the Managing Editor
Skills and Abilities
- Excellent written communication skills
- Ability to meet deadlines
- Strong work ethic
- Editorial experience
- Computer literacy
Requirements
Applicants must be active student members of a Sigma Tau Delta chapter at the time of application.
Application materials are due March 7, 2022, for consideration.
Resources
Apply for a Sigma Tau Delta Journal Internship
7 Reasons You Should Apply for Sigma Tau Delta’s Journal Internship
More from Footnotes: February 23, 2022
Leadership Opportunities
2022 Convention Update
Putting the Puzzle Pieces Together: My PRH Internship
Sigma Tau Delta Webinars
Apply for Spring Scholarships
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