Apply for the 2026 RNS/Texas Tribune Summer Internship
Religion News Service (RNS) is seeking a full-time summer intern to cover religion in Texas through a unique editorial partnership with The Texas Tribune. This is an RNS internship, designed and overseen by the RNS newsroom, with the intern embedded in Texas and contributing to coverage for both RNS and The Texas Tribune.
Preferred location: Austin, Texas, working in The Texas Tribune newsroom alongside Tribune interns and staff.
Alternate option: Exceptional candidates based elsewhere in Texas will be considered for a fully remote position.
About the Internship
This shared internship reflects a close editorial collaboration between two leading nonprofit newsrooms. The intern will:
- Be hired and paid by Religion News Service
- Report primarily on religion-related stories in Texas
- Publish work with both RNS and The Texas Tribune
- Receive editing, mentorship, and assignments from editors and reporters at both organizations
- Gain hands-on experience in a major statehouse newsroom while contributing to national religion coverage
Religion News Service is a 90-year-old secular online news and opinion outlet that covers religion, from the political alliances of the religious right (and the revived religious left) to shake-ups in the major denominations to trends and innovation in worship and religious life. Religion is an increasingly important element in many of the nation’s most important issues, and our reporters have covered the faith angle of many of the last year’s most impactful stories. For example, the growing role of religious leaders in immigration protests and reform; the rise of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani; and the tenure of the first U.S. pope. Texas has emerged as a crucial area of coverage for RNS on issues like immigration and politics as they relate to religion, which is why it seeks an intern based in Texas for the summer.
The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, digital-first, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
Successful internship candidates should expect to pitch frequently and be busy on weekdays with reporting and writing, while also learning how to work within CMS systems, post stories online and promote their work through social media platforms. Through RNS’ partnership with NPR, interns may have the opportunity to produce an audio story and/or participate in a local or national NPR program such as All Things Considered; through another partnership with The Associated Press, your stories will be considered for national distribution on the AP wire.
Because the RNS newsroom operates almost entirely virtually, we expect interns to be self-motivated and independent. At the same time, we hope they gain in-person, on-the-ground experience spending their summer at The Texas Tribune and working with the editorial team there.
Knowledge of religious doctrines or practices is not required, but a curiosity about the cultural and political ramifications of belief and a willingness to do your homework are musts.
The internship pays $870 per week for 12 weeks and runs from June 8 through Aug. 14. Over that time, the intern will be expected to produce 10 to 15 original stories published across RNS and Tribune platforms, and offered to syndication partners.
To apply, visit this link. The extended application deadline is Feb. 24 at 11:59 p.m. ET.