The Dow Jones News Fund announced that its summer 2020 internship programs for college and graduate students will operate remotely. The News Fund’s pre-internship training programs in digital media, data journalism, business reporting and multiplatform editing will be conducted online.

The Fund’s board of directors believes that requiring the interns to work remotely is the optimum way to protect the health and safety of both the interns and employers participating in this year’s program amid the fierce coronavirus pandemic.

“The safety and health of our interns is foremost in the hearts and minds of the directors,” Richard J. Levine, president of the News Fund, said. “This will be an exceptionally challenging summer, but working remotely will serve as outstanding preparation for newsrooms of the future.”

The Dow Jones News Fund is committed to helping its 2020 interns launch successful journalism careers. Their free, weeklong online training will be led by these professors: Paul Glader, the King’s College, business reporting; David Herzog and Charles Minshew, Investigative Reporters and Editors, data journalism; Michael Wong, Arizona State University, digital media; Dr. Edward Trayes, Temple University, multiplatform editing, and Beth Butler and Dr. Bradley Wilson, University of Texas, multiplatform editing.

Interns will receive $1,500 scholarships or student loan payments, mentoring from alumni, memberships in professional journalism associations and financial assistance as warranted.

Many of the Fund’s media partners have indicated they intend to remain in the program. Some are offering students the choice to work remotely or to defer the internship until later this summer, fall or next year to gain in-newsroom experience. Other media have made the difficult decision to withdraw their offers. In those cases, the Fund is seeking other employers to hire these interns.

Email linda.shockley@dowjones.com if you are interested in hiring a remote intern this summer.