Graduating college is a paradoxical experience. One moment, you are walking across the stage in a blur of excitement and exultance, and then, you are waking up in your childhood bedroom with a pit in your stomach, formed by the scorching question: what am I going to do next?
My Oxford tutor compared the postgraduate experience to the dark forest in Dante’s Divine Comedy. It is not a bad place—especially compared to Inferno—but it has no visible road ahead; it is a place of uncertainty, even disorientation. Noticing light’s gentle rays peeking over a mountain, Dante attempts to ascend it, but Virgil tells him that he must take a more difficult path, and so Dante endures perhaps one of the most transformative journeys in literature.
Although I am only beginning my journey, the Sigma Tau Delta Journal Internship has provided me with much-needed light and clarity. I was given the incredible honor of being named the Centennial Journal Intern. In this role, I collaborated with our editorial team to brainstorm creative ways to celebrate one hundred years of Sigma Tau Delta. This experience has opened my eyes to the robust history of our Society—now spanning over 800 universities—and the generations connected by our devotion to literature.
Keen on utilizing editorial opportunities offered by my school, I served as a senior editor of Palm Beach Atlantic University’s Living Waters Review and completed coursework in copy editing, grammar, and publications; yet despite my previous experience, I had never worked for a journal of Sigma Tau Delta’s size and prestige. Although the Rectangle and Review‘s acclaimed reputation can be intimidating at first, Managing Editor of Publications Dr. Carie King made me feel at ease and explained to me and my fellow interns that our voices and opinions mattered.
As an intern, I developed a greater understanding of the ethical responsibility necessary to evaluate a diverse array of international submissions with respect and undivided attention. I learned how to copy edit both academic and creative work with defensible reasoning to make authors’ authentic voices shine. Our team ensured that selected works reflected the Society’s high literary standards with an emphasis on bringing historically marginalized perspectives to the forefront of the publications. This summer reminded me that literature is a powerful connecting force, promoting social change and allowing us to develop empathy—a remembrance of our humanity.
I am no longer wandering in Dante’s dark forest; I now possess the courage and conviction to pursue a career in the editing field. Working as an intern for the Rectangle and Review has given me experience outside of my university to better understand what a career in editing could look like, ultimately providing me with more vocational confidence. Upon completing this internship, I am continuing my education through The University of Chicago‘s Editing Certificate Program with a concentration in developmental editing for fiction.
If you desire to be a part of an intelligent and passionate team, wish to gain more knowledge and experience in the editing field, and are seeking mentorship that will provide you with direction for the future, I strongly encourage you to apply.
Although not finding a distinct path upon graduating can be frightening, it is important to recognize that your opportunities at this moment in time are limitless. You have the power to pave your own unique path, and I promise you that this internship is a significant step in that direction.
Check out Sarah’s hard work by claiming your copy of the 2025 Sigma Tau Delta Centennial Journals!
Sarah G. Pouliot
Sigma Tau Delta Journal Internship Recipient, 2023
Centennial Intern
Alpha Zeta Mu Chapter
Palm Beach Atlantic University, West Palm Beach, FL
Sigma Tau Delta Journal Internship
A three-month internship opportunity is available with the Sigma Tau Delta Journals. This opportunity will provide as many as three Sigma Tau Delta student members (undergraduate or graduate) with editorial and publication experience. These interns will work with the Managing Editor from May 15 to August 15, averaging 10 hours per week. Internships are remote and therefore require reliable internet access. Each intern will be paid $300 per month.
Interns may not submit for publication in the journals on which they are working.
Job Summary
Under the Managing Editor’s direction interns:
- Read and evaluate submissions
- Edit accepted submissions for publication
- Communicate regularly via email and/or video conference with the Managing Editor
Skills and Abilities
Interns should have:
- Excellent written communication skills
- Ability to meet deadlines
- Strong work ethic
- Editorial experience
- Computer literacy
Eligibility
Applicants must be active student members of a Sigma Tau Delta chapter at the time of application and should be familiar with the most recent issues of the Sigma Tau Delta journals.
Application
Applications for summer 2025 will be accepted on the AwardSpring platform through February 3, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. CT.
Required Materials
- Well written cover letter to the Managing Editor of Publications
- Relevant resume/CV
- Short answer responses to application questions
Resources
The Summer I Became an Editorial Intern for the Sigma Tau Delta Journals
Formation and Cultivation: The Impact of the Sigma Tau Delta Journal Internship
Grammar and Lit. Theory in Praxis: A Sigma Tau Delta Journal Internship
Building Confidence and a Career in Publishing: Interning with Rectangle and Review
Once an Editor, Always an Editor: Thoughts from a Sigma Tau Delta Journal Intern
Sigma Tau Delta Journal Internship: Answering the Dreaded “What’s Next?”
Anxiety Relief from . . . an Internship?
7 Reasons You Should Apply for Sigma Tau Delta’s Journal Internship
Apply for a Sigma Tau Delta Journal Internship
More from Footnotes: January 14, 2025
Sigma Tau Delta 2025 Centennial Journals Now Available
Summer Program Scholarships
My Summer with Penguin Press
2025 Convention Update
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