New paid internship creates opportunities for publishing hopefuls

March 25, 2025 | by uscpress

Starting this spring semester, University of South Carolina Press is giving a $1,000 stipend to students participating in its longtime internship program. Like many nonprofit book publishers, USC Press relies on support from interns to complete its daily work and share its excellent publications with the world. Thanks donations raised during Give 4 Garnet 2024, the internship program is now a paid opportunity.

In the competitive world of book publishing, gaining experience through an internship can make all the difference for recent graduates trying to break into the industry. For first-generation and low-income students, unpaid internships often mean missing out on the chance to learn and make professional connections due to financial constraints. Marketing Assistant Dianne Wade who championed the USC Press internship stipend understands this reality first-hand. As a former first-generation student who grew up in Oklahoma far from most publishing jobs, she is driven to make publishing more accessible. This semester, Dianne is already witnessing the benefits of the paid opportunity with a current intern who almost did not apply for the internship but changed her mind after learning it was paid.

USC Press will continue to raise funds annually during Give 4 Garnet to sustain and grow its paid internship program. Learn more about Give 4 Garnet 2025, March 26-27.

Read the full article by Alexis Watts.