INFORMATION OFFICER INTERN - SUMMER - 67137

Internship

The Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) is a multi-faceted agency with a responsibility to serve the public by operating safe and secure prisons and providing effective community supervision. We take our mission seriously and every employee will work extremely hard to ensure we never compromise public safety.

The Department of Correction has approximately 6500 employees operating eleven prisons, six day reporting centers, an investigative-compliance unit and numerous probation/parole offices across the state. TDOC Central Office is located in downtown Nashville.

As an intern you will have the opportunity to work with TDOC programs that affect public safety and offender success across the state.

The Tennessee Department of Corrections Communications Office manages all communications about the Agency to educate and inform the public, media, and employees, in a timely and accurate manner through the use of media relations, electronic communications and publications. The Office of Communications is responsible for creating and executing communication strategies to provide information about TDOC to stakeholders and the public, as well as providing key information to its employees and offenders. The Communications Office is responsible for facilitating public information, media inquiries, interviews; video requests; website and publications; special projects and training. The office represents the agency to the state Legislature, including information about Department strategy, positions on issues, and testimony. In addition, the office coordinates media activity for the agency and contributes to numerous special projects.

An Information Officer Intern will develop skills and abilities learning to perform duties that involve planning, preparing, and disseminating information, through news media sources, in order to promote public understanding of departmental objectives, functions, accomplishments, and controversial issues. The intern will participate in preparing and maintaining records and reports on public statements, news releases, announcements, newsletters, and published material. They may assist with writing materials for the department head or other high-level officials. Under close supervision interns will write news releases to newspapers, wire services, radio and television stations for distribution concerning the activities programs, and issues of the TDOC. They will learn to develop informational updates for the Agencies social media accounts. Interns will observe as the TDOC Communication Officers coordinates informational activities with the Governor's Information Office in order to maintain consistency in the news being released; they will learn how staff keeps the office informed on any major or controversial departmental news issues.

Information Officer Interns will be exposed to and expected to learn concepts related to the development and dissemination of information through various sources. They will be expected to participate in development of news releases and preparation and maintenance of reports and records. They will be expected to have a basic understanding of the Department of Correction policies and procedures and how they apply to the day-to-day operations of the TDOC Communications Division. Interns shall develop interpersonal skills necessary to interact with TDOC Staff, media representatives, Community and Business Partners, Government Officials and the public. They will be expected to explain and interpret departmental objectives, polices, and procedures and promote the public image of the Agency.

Working toward obtaining a Bachelor's, Master's, or PHD with a major in communications, journalism, broadcasting, marketing or related field and being classified/enrolled as a junior or greater. The internship must be for academic credit.

Pursuant to the State of Tennessee's Workplace Discrimination and Harassment policy, the State is firmly committed to the principle of fair and equal employment opportunities for its citizens and strives to protect the rights and opportunities of all people to seek, obtain, and hold employment without being subjected to illegal discrimination and harassment in the workplace. It is the State's policy to provide an environment free of discrimination and harassment of an individual because of that person's race, color, national origin, age (40 and over), sex, pregnancy, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status or any other category protected by state and/or federal civil rights laws.