Revised: August 24, 2023

Course Description

Students choose between community-based and industry internships. These have included working with veterans and clinicians, developing curricula, teaching comics in public and private schools, and interning at online publications and traditional publishers, etc.

Internship hours can take place upon enrollment at CCS, but internship credit hours will not be applied until the students begin their second year. It is the responsibility of the student to maintain a log or diary of their internship work and collect and submit the required paperwork.

Requirements

To receive Internship credit, the Internship Learning Contract form must be submitted to the CCS Registrar, Dave Lloyd, along with: 

• An accumulation of 60 hours of internship experience. Each Internship should be a minimum of 15 hours. This form and the supporting materials listed above must be submitted to the Registrar with the signed Internship form:
• Internship journal with regular entries documenting the experience (may be typewritten, handwritten, or digital). 
• One- to two-page typewritten essay describing how this internship experience complements your educational and vocational goals and how it enhances your education.

Schedule and deadline

Your Internship hours can occur at any point from the fall term, first semester, up until the end of the 2nd year of the program. However, completed forms must be submitted to the Registrar by the last Friday in March, in advance of graduation, to validate and receive the required credits. See Dave Lloyd, Registrar, with questions.

Professional-based Internships

Professional-based Internships can take many forms, including working with an established professional or a larger studio or publisher. Work must be related to the student’s course of study.

Community-based Internships

Students can invest in the community and earn 8 to 12 hours of internship credit through volunteer work with a local nonprofit or public institution. These community service hours do not have to be related to the student’s course of study.

Beyond the initial 8 to 12 hours, continued community engagement is encouraged and can count towards internship hours in their second year if any of the following criteria is met:

– The student later uses their cartooning skills to contribute to the organization. This could be (but not limited to):  a comic for the organization’s outreach efforts, creating posters, websites, brochures, or illustrations; or facilitating and teaching a workshop that focuses on or incorporates comics.

– The student maintains a log of these hours, per the requirement.

CCS will maintain a list of local nonprofit organizations and help facilitate contact and provide project guidance. CCS can help initiate introductions to these organizations or students can reach out on their own. If they have any questions regarding whether the internship meets CCS’s requirements, they should reach out to James Sturm at sturm@cartoonstudies.org.

Quick reference links:

• Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines – A print copy is available for reference at The Schulz Library.
• Internship Learning Contract (pdf)

Local organizations CCS students have worked with in the past:

• Local public schools – Teaching and presentation opportunities 
• Local libraries – Assist with GN clubs or hosting workshops
• Town of Hartford Planning Department – Town development
• COVER Home Repair – Learn trade skills
• JAM Junction Arts Media – Media arts, organizing events
• Restorative Justice Center 
• The HAVEN
• Hartford Dismas House
• Revolution – Retail business and organizer of community events, including Fashion Show, Oscars, and Parking Lot Parties
• Good Neighbor Health Clinic
• LISTEN Center – Serving meals
• Children’s Literacy Foundation
• Northern Stage Theatre – Some students have created exhibits drawn during rehearsals or curated exhibitions based on the current production.
• WISE – Survivor-centered advocacy, prevention, education, and mobilization to end gender-based violence
• Ava Gallery and Community Center – Workshops and exhibition opportunities
• WRJ Veterans Affairs Medical Center – Opportunity to explore graphic medicine 
• The Center for Cartoon Studies – Internship opportunities include teaching assistant positions for workshops or full-time program courses, and through the Applied Cartooning Lab; Opportunities are posted on the message board.
• Everybody Wins! VT – A literacy program that pairs students with mentors at schools in NH/VT; White River School is a program site.

F.A.Q.

Who is required to complete an Internship?

All Two-year Certificate and MFA students must complete the Internship program requirements. The Internship is not required for the One-year certificate program.

When can I do my internship?

Your Internship hours can take place at any point from fall term first semester up until the end of the second year of the program.

When should it be completed?
Completed forms must be submitted to the Registrar, lloyd@cartoonstudies.org, by the last Friday in March, in advance of graduation, to validate and receive the required credits.

How can I find a professional internship?

Once you have a sense of the skills you’d like to develop, you can explore professional connections you already have or ask for recommendations from alumni, guests, thesis advisors, faculty, and staff, who collectively have a broad network of publishers, editors, and other industry professionals. Opportunities are regularly posted on our message board. Your CCS classmates may also have recommendations.

Can I have multiple internships that contribute to my 60 hours?

Yes, although each internship should consist of a minimum of 15 hours. Internships can also be a combination of professional- and community-based types.

Will I be paid the commercial rate published in the Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines? 

Usually, this is not the case, as these rates are an aspirational standard that assumes professional experience which an intern may not yet possess. A copy of the Guild handbook is available on reserve in The Schulz Library for reference.

Does my Internship need to be approved?

Yes. Please reach out to James Sturm to discuss your Internship before proceeding to ensure it meets the expectations and requirements: sturm@cartoonstudies.org

When should I consider an internship that doesn’t pay?

In most cases, CCS does not recommend taking an unpaid internship. However, there may be opportunities where an unpaid internship makes sense for your particular situation. Some questions to consider: 

• Can you afford to do an unpaid internship? If so, will you be learning new skills? 
• Is the person supervising your internship someone you expect to learn a lot from? 
• Does the internship open doors to new professional opportunities? 
• Would the recommendation of the supervisor prove advantageous? 
• Is the unpaid internship for a nonprofit with a small budget or that relies on volunteers?

Can the internship lead to more employment or work-for-hire paid experience?

This may be a possibility. When negotiating internships, this is a good question to raise. 

Can my internship be in another state or country?

Yes.

What if my internship is problematic? Do I have to continue?

If attempts at remedying the situation through professional communication do not alleviate the problems, then leaving the internship is certainly an option. If you need help to navigate the situation, please reach out for help to CCS’s James Sturm at sturm@cartoonstudies.org.

I have more questions! Who should I talk with at CCS?

Arrange a time to talk with James Sturm sturm@cartoonstudies.org who can answer any questions you have and/or help you to develop a plan for your Internship requirement.

Other Questions?

Contact James Sturm, Director of Applied Cartooning, at sturm@cartoonstudies.org

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