Position Openings
Student Application
Apply here for all student positions in advertising sales, Collegian news, photojournalism, Royal Purple yearbook, advertising design, IT support, business office positions.
How successful are the Collegian and Royal Purple?
The Collegian and the Royal Purple are one of the nation’s most honored college newspaper and yearbook duo. Both regularly win the Associated Collegiate Pacemaker awards — the Pulitzer Prize of collegiate publications. ACP Pacemaker are awarded to the nation’s top three collegiate yearbooks of 300 or more pages. Pacemakers also go to the top five broadsheet dailies.
In 2010, the Royal Purple won a silver crown from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. On the Collegian staff, reporters, photographers, editors and designers won more awards in the Kansas Collegiate Press Association contest than any other four-year university in the state. A video producer won a prize from the Kansas Association of Broadcasters, the newspaper’s first award for video.
Must I be a student to work at the publications? Must I major in journalism?
Yes to the first question. The Collegian, Royal Purple and Campus Phone Book are produced by K-State students for K-State students.
No to the second question. We welcome K-State students of all majors. Although a number of our students are working toward careers in news media and are mass communications majors, we appreciate the diverse perspectives from students of all majors.
What staff positions are available?
Incoming students apply to work as reporters, photojournalists, designers,copy editors, editorial columnists, online journalists, advertising sales executives, advertising designers, information technology staffers. As students gain experience on the Royal Purple and Collegian — and prove their skill, dependability and work ethic — they often become editors.
Are positions paid?
Student pay and hands-on experience are two rewards for working at Collegian Media Group. To qualify for payroll, you must enroll in at least one academic credit during the semester you choose to work.
Reporters, photojournalists and video journalists are paid by piece rates. Advertising sales executives are paid a commission. Students working in advertising design, network management and the business office are paid hourly. Depending on the number of stories completed, an incoming reporter can earn $200 or more per month. Editors for both publications are paid a monthly salary.
Do you hire incoming students?
Absolutely. It is not easy to work for a daily newspaper or a yearbook, but incoming students regularly thrive at the Collegian and the Royal Purple. They prove themselves to editors and they soon gain important assignments. And as they gain experience, they often work their way to editorships. The staff-application process is competitive. If you don’t land a position, offer to work as a freelancer. Spend some time in the newsroom or staff room. Offer to lend a hand. Volunteer for assignments and prove yourself as an important contributor. You will soon be on staff.
I’m from a small school. How do I adjust?
Yes, the Royal Purple and Collegian are big publications, but they are run by students who also have commitments to classes, other organizations and other part-time jobs. Most K-State students are from Kansas and you will probably find someone with a similar background. But being a success as a collegiate journalist requires a commitment of time. We like to help incoming students manage their time so they don’t become overwhelmed.
How do I apply for student staff? And when?
We welcome applications from K-State students of all majors. The Royal Purple hires students for a one-year commitment. The Collegian hires students for a semester commitment. Royal Purple applications are typically due April 1 for the following academic year. Collegian applications are typically due Nov. 1 for the following spring semester and near April 1 for the following summer and fall semesters. Some positions, such as reporter and photographer positions, are open year-round. Other mid-semester openings do occasionally come up, and those are advertised in the Collegian. The application is available here.
Do I need to own equipment?
No, but most of our photojournalists have their own equipment. Our veteran photojournalists have access to advanced digital cameras for assignments under tight deadline. Otherwise, Collegian Media Group offers equipment for reporting through design and into online journalism. Collegian Media Group invests in the same equipment — the hardware, the software and the peripherals — the professionals use. In fact, we rely on our own team of student technicians to manage our equipment.
Who runs the publications?
The editor-in-chief of the publications has final authority for publication content and content decisions rest in the hands of student editors. The Collegian and Royal Purple have a rich history of editorial independence. In fact, the Collegian was established in 1896 because K-State students wanted a newspaper free of faculty control. Significant legal precedent endorses the First Amendment right of student journalists at public colleges and universities. Editors welcome feedback from readers, an important process and a crucial part of journalism education at the Collegian and Royal Purple. Editors-in-chief are also in charge of hiring and managing their student staff member. The editors first hire their desk/section editors, who often help in the hiring process of other staff members.
Supervising editors enforce the standards of a commercial publication. They require accuracy, fairness and quality. They enforce deadlines and they focus on service to readers. Both publications have faculty advisers who help with recruiting, staff training, publication critiques and financial management.
Do you offer tours?
We welcome visitors of all ages, but especially grades 4 and older. Give us a call at (785) 370-6355, let us know about your trip and we will work with you to schedule a tour of the Collegian and Royal Purple.
Can I make a career of this? Where do alumni go?
Time and again, editors in the commercial world cite hands-on experience as a key factor in hiring personnel. Collegian Media Group students combine work at the Collegian and Royal Purple with internships and projects. They work hard and their efforts can pay off handsomely in the job market. Editors from across the country look to K-State for journalists with hands-on experience.
Why K-State?
The national reputation. From coast to coast, K-State is renowned for an outstanding yearbook and newspaper.
The Pride. Student staff members take great pride in serving student readers. The staff of each semester wants to do an even better job than the preceding staff.
The alumni. Our alumni, who work at publications around the world, are regular visitors and speakers. And they’re great contacts for internships and jobs.
The work ethic. Our student staff members work hard. Their portfolios show it and employers know K-State has a tradition of providing good employees — strong fundamentals — who can hit the ground running.
The fun. You’ll never forget the thrill of seeing your byline on a story that your classmates are reading as they hold it in their hands.
The tradition. K-State students have been producing the Collegian and Royal Purple for more than a century.
Make a difference—now. Incoming students quickly can gain the trust of editors. They can make important contributions, regardless of their major or year in school.