Collegiate Times

During the summer months, your favorite daily newspaper transforms to a weekly edition. We want you to come work for us this summer.

Think about it: Blacksburg in summer is quite a fun town. You can get into almost any restaurant without having to wait. Parking is ample compared to the dire straits of the commuter lot during the school year. The town of Blacksburg has several festivals and events throughout the summer to draw students out of their apartments and into local businesses. So why not cover these events for the CT and kill two birds with one stone: Enjoy what Blacksburg has to offer and get a little resume booster while you're at it. So if you'll be in Blacksburg this summer taking classes and would like to make some extra beer money, stop by our office and investigate our summer opportunities.  

It's the same office, the same sections, just a new cast of characters running the show. Even if you're not taking classes during both summer sessions, we encourage you to write as often as you please.  

The summer issues of the paper tend to be a little more relaxed simply because there are fewer people around so less tends to go on during the summer.  

If you've ever had any inkling to write for a newspaper, the summer CT is a great place to learn how the newsroom works without the extra pressures of full credit loads and extracurricular commitments. And if you like it, it's way easier to stay on as an employee during the school year after working in the summer.

The news section is looking for anyone interested in reporting. As a news reporter, you'd be paid per story and can write as many as you like each week.  

The environment of the newsroom is much less chaotic in the summer because we're not working on such tight deadlines. Copy editors are also needed for the summer. If you like grammar and enjoy correcting other people's writing, then apply. Copy editing is a great entry-level position if you want to be an editor one day. As a copy editor, you will learn the fundamentals of grammar and style while simultaneously getting hands-on experience with discovering which stories are good journalism - and which are not.

Think there's no sports section in the summer? Wrong. The summer section editors are in need of writers for every section. Just because there are no summer sports doesn't mean we cease production of the sports section. Remember when Branden Ore got dismissed from the football team? That was in the summer - wouldn't you have loved to be the one to cover that?  

The summer sports section can be more fun than during the school year. Because there are no games to cover, the potential for new kinds of sports stories increases. Sports writers can cover our baseball players who play in the Alaska or Cape leagues.

Find yourself debating politics during Hammer Time? Then come be an opinions columnist for the summer paper and collect some clippings for your portfolio.  If you plan on attending Steppin' Out or some First Friday events, then come talk to our features editor about covering them for the paper. Who knows, maybe you'll get some exclusive access to important people.

If you have an eye for photography or video editing, apply for a position in the multimedia department or join the Student Publication Photography Service. You can be trained to use our supply of digital cameras before this school year ends and be ready to go out on your own when summer publication kicks up.  

The new staff is also hiring for next year's paper. Sara Mitchell, the incoming editor in chief, is looking to fill her staff before school kicks back up in August.  The multimedia department is also looking to hire people to start in August. The multimedia editor needs reporters, editors and producers. If you're interested in digital media, check out the multimedia section online and challenge yourself to make it better.

If you weren't aware, the CT maintains its office in 365 Squires Student Center and is staffed between 10:30 a.m. and 11 p.m. Monday though Thursday, so come on up and get involved.

Since Virginia Tech does not have a journalism program, coming to work at the CT is one of the best places to get your hands dirty in a journalism environment.