In 1995, I was selected to be an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Mass Media Fellow. I was paid to intern at the Oregonian newspaper where I improved my science journalism skills. The experience was fantastic, and I strongly recommend the fellowship to other science students.

The AAAS has a relatively new fellowship, specifically for minority science writers. The below is information from the AAAS about this paid internship:

The AAAS Pitts Family Foundation Minority Science Writers Internship is for undergraduates who are interested in journalism as a career and who want to learn about science writing. In addition to improving their skills, the program seeks to make a dent in the demographics of the profession: Although science is a global activity, the journalists who cover it don’t reflect that diversity.

Funded by the Pitts Family Foundation, the internship takes place each summer at the Washington, D.C. headquarters of AAAS’s Science magazine, the largest interdisciplinary journal in the world. Interns spend ten weeks at Science under the guidance of award-winning reporters and editors practicing what science writers do for a living. They have a chance to meet leading scientists, attend conferences and hearings, and cover breaking news. Interns are expected to contribute to all facets of the news operation, including writing bylined articles for the print magazine and online news service, engaging in social media, and contributing to other news products.

Interns receive a weekly stipend as well as the cost of a round-trip ticket to and from Washington, D.C. The internship runs from early June to mid-August. This year’s application deadline is March 1, 2015. To be eligible, applicants must be enrolled in an undergraduate academic program at the time they submit their application.