KCRW creates paid internships

Thanks to a $25,000 donation, KCRW will pay interns for the first time. KCRW, a National Public Radio affiliate housed on Santa Monica College's campus, previously offered only unpaid internships. ElectroRent CEO Daniel Greenberg and wife Susan Steinhauser have contributed $25,000 to create the paid positions.

Connie Alvarez, who is in charge of hiring the KCRW interns, previously found volunteers from the community, mostly listeners.   Now with the positions being paid and school credit being offered, Alvarez says more students have applied than ever before.

"With students it's easier because they are already here on campus," said Alvarez.

Alvarez accredits trustworthiness as one of the top qualifications as well as being positive and professional.

KCRW ‘Intern of the Month' and SMC sophomore Monika Scott had been a listener for years before her Broadcasting 1 class piqued her interest in radio and she started volunteering for the station.

Scott wanted to understand the different elements of radio before deciding which department to pursue as a career.  She says working at the station is beneficial because she ‘gets to see it all.'

Scott began as a volunteer and is now paid as a result of the grant.

Alvarez said Scott was selected as ‘Intern of the Month' due to her sense of dedication and positive attitude.  "Nothing is too big or too small for her to do," she said.

Volunteers and interns share the same job duties except the interns must be SMC students and receiving school credit to be paid.

Five new interns have been hired this semester and Alvarez says there is room for about five or six more.  All interns start off answering the phones and then gradually accumulate other tasks.

Interns work in multiple departments such as membership, publicity, music, events, production, and helping the DJs.

To apply visit KCRW's website, www.kcrw.com.