Candidate review for summer workshop positions begins in the spring.
The Michigan Interscholastic Press Association hires exceptional educators to serve as instructors or assistant instructors at our summer workshop as well as current teachers, responsible college students and others to be part of our workshop student life team.
Summer workshop instructors and student life staff members work as independent contractors of MIPA.
MIPA is a nonprofit organization composed of Michigan scholastic journalism teachers and student media advisers and their students. The organization is committed to promoting and recognizing excellence in journalism at all levels through education, training and support of student journalists and their advisers. MIPA is housed in MSU’s School of Journalism.
General Inquiries:
Available positions are posted on this page. General inquiries can be made to:
Jeremy Steele, Executive Director
Michigan Interscholastic Press Association
404 Wilson Road, Room 305
MSU School of Journalism
East Lansing, MI 48824
jws@mipamsu.org
Youth Program Criminal Background Check
MIPA follows Michigan State University rules requiring all individuals who have direct contact with minors at a campus youth program pass a criminal background check within 12 months of the program. All individuals interested in working for the MIPA Summer Journalism Workshop must successfully complete this check before they will be considered for employment. You may be asked to authorize MIPA and/or MSU to conduct a background check as part of the application process.
Current Openings
Apply NowStudent Life Staff
MIPA’s student life team support our youth participants throughout our five-day, residential program. Duties and work hours vary based on position.
These positions include:
- MIPA Ambassadors, student life team leaders who provide support to youth participants from the residence hall to the classroom;
- Floor Counselors, live-in team members who provide overnight supervision for youth participants of our residential program;
- Activity Assistants, who lead daily recreational activities with our youth participants during designated times.
Learn more about these positions below. If you have any questions, please contact the MIPA office.
In line with Michigan State University policies for employees, we require our workshop staff be vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19. Limited exemptions for medical or religious reasons will be provided.
MIPA Ambassadors
Apply NowMIPA Ambassadors help lead our student life team, providing support to and supervision of our youth participants from the residence hall to the classroom. Ambassadors live and work with us in the residence hall for the duration of our program, from about noon Sunday to about 2 p.m. Thursday.
Ambassadors live in their own room on a youth floor to provide overnight supervision, which includes conducting bed checks and enforcing lights out with our floor counselors.
Ambassadors also are assigned to one of our workshop courses to help provide supervision in the classroom. Classroom duties might include taking attendance and assisting with various learning activities, under the direction of the course instructor.
Ambassadors will have scheduled breaks throughout the day, typically during recreation times.
Ambassadors are paid a $500 stipend. Meals are provided from lunch Sunday through lunch Thursday.
Experience working with youth is preferred. Applicants who are college students ideally will have completed their sophomore year.
Floor Counselors
Apply NowFloor counselors live in the residence hall with us for the duration of our residential program, from student check-in at 2:30 p.m. Sunday to checkout at noon Thursday. They will be assigned a residential floor or a portion of a floor with other student life team members.
Key work hours are from about 9 p.m. to 9 a.m., when floor counselors provide supervision and support on our youth floors, including conducting bed checks and enforcing lights out.
Floor counselors typically do not have any duties when our youth participants are in class, and so are welcome to work other jobs or leave the premises as needed during the day. Floor counselors may also serve as activity assistants (and are paid an additional stipend) if they are available for additional work during the day.
Teachers who work as floor counselors may be invited to audit one of our workshop courses. Floor counselors auditing a workshop class should be “silent observers” – they should leave class discussions to our student participants and should reserve their own questions until after class or when our instructors are not working with students.
Floor counselors are paid a $100 stipend. They typically are assigned to their own room, or may room with another student life team member. Meals are provided from pizza dinner Sunday night through breakfast Thursday.
Experience working with youth is preferred. Applicants who are college students ideally will have completed their sophomore year.
Activity Assistants
Apply NowActivity assistants lead daily recreational activities with our youth participants.
This position is open to anyone 18 and older. Housing and meals are not provided. (Activities assistants may also apply to be floor counselors. Floor counselors receive housing and meals in addition to a stipend.) Experience working with youth is preferred.
Key work hours may include (but are not limited to):
- 2-5:30 p.m. and 8:30-11 p.m. Sunday: To meet with your supervisor, assist with check-in and run activities during the opening night pizza party
- 3:30-5:30 p.m. and 8:30-11 p.m. Monday and Tuesday: To run organized events and recreation time activities for students
- 3:30-5:30 p.m. and 6:30-11 p.m. Wednesday: To run for organized events, MIPA’s annual Variety Show and other recreation activities.
Activity assistants are paid a flat rate of $150 for work during our workshop, and must be available to work at least 15 hours during the periods noted above.
To Apply
Please fill out the application by clicking the Apply Now button. Include a resume and cover letter explaining why you want to work at our program. List recent work and/or volunteer experience. Provide at least two references. Applications will be reviewed until all positions are filled.
Apply Now