Chapter 15: Virtual Public Affairs Internships

The expansion of virtual internships following the spread of COVID-19 is likely to persist. This chapter reviews scholarly work on virtual public affairs internships, situating their recent surge within a longer trajectory. The analysis draws on interviews with faculty, site supervisors, and students to improve our understanding of virtual internships’ structural features and their effect on the achievement of learning outcomes. Specifically, we focus on students’ ability to build competencies related to career and self-development, communication, and professionalism. The chapter also addresses the implications for inclusion, access, and equity, and closes with concrete recommendations for key stakeholders. Keywords: virtual internship; remote internship; computer-mediated learning; online internship.