Staff Policies

All prospective staff members must certify their agreement with The Daily Tar Heel's policies. Please read them carefully. Violating any of these policies could be grounds for dismissal from the staff.

Sharif Durhams Leadership Program

The Sharif Durhams Leadership Program at The Daily Tar Heel is a talent and leadership development initiative designed for DTH staff members from underrepresented groups. The program is named for Sharif Durhams, who was honored as the DTH Distinguished Alumnus in 2019. He has served as an editor for CNN and The Washington Post, and is currently the Managing Editor of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution.

Each year, the program guides a cohort of student staff members through professional development, networking, and career opportunities. Supported by The DTH's DEI Coordinator and DEI Committee, the program fosters an equitable and inclusive environment where young journalists can connect, grow and thrive.

Eligible participants include, but are not limited to: students of color and Indigenous students, students with disabilities, first-generation college students, LGBTQIA+ students, international students and student veterans.

The Sharif Durhams Leadership Program offers cohort members a range of benefits throughout the academic year, including:

• Structured programming and community building among cohort members
• Mentorship relationships and personalized career preparation
• Monthly development meetings, with a 75% attendance requirement over the course of the year
• Networking connected to internship, fellowship, and other professional opportunities

The DTH is organized by desks, which will serve as the starting point of your journey. Please read the descriptions below carefully, so that you can select the desks that most interest you. If you have specific questions about individual desks, direct them to the desk editors at the emails below.

Please note additional questions and sample requirements for each desk below.

Desk Descriptions

University 

• Reports on campus news (except sports), including student life, UNC administration, student government, housing, academics, research, dining and campus safety. Also covers broader shifts in higher education across the UNC System, state or country.
• Typical weekly time commitment: ~4-8 hours
• Contact University Editor Kayla Bradshaw at university@dailytarheel.com 

City & State

• Reports on Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Orange County and North Carolina news, including business, politics, education, the environment, housing, public safety and general local happenings.
• Typical weekly time commitment: ~4-8 hours
• Contact City & State Editor Sarah Clements at city@dailytarheel.com

Sports

• Reports on varsity sports at UNC, as well as club sports and local teams on occasion. Reports on the UNC athletic department and sports’ larger role at the University.
• Typical weekly time commitment: ~4-8 hours
• Contact Sports Editor Beckett Brantley at sports@dailytarheel.com

Lifestyle

• Reports on the arts, culture, fashion, entertainment and community events. This can include features, reviews and advice columns. Coverage areas include UNC's campus, Chapel Hill and Carrboro, Orange County and, sometimes, across North Carolina.
• Typical weekly time commitment: ~2-6 hours
• Contact Lifestyle Editor Cooper Hall at lifestyle@dailytarheel.com

Opinion

• Produces opinion content in the form of editorials, columns, cartoons and guest submissions that reflect viewpoints from within the newsroom and beyond.
• Your role could be an Editorial Board member, a columnist or a cartoonist. Editorial Board members meet weekly and write collaboratively. Cartoonists and columnists pitch ideas to the editor.
• Typical weekly time commitment: ~2-6 hours
• Contact Opinion Editor Luis Fuentes at opinion@dailytarheel.com
  

Enterprise

• Produces stories or sets of stories that are often the result of long-term reporting. The Enterprise Desk includes experienced reporters who pitch and take on more complex, long-form stories that cover sensitive topics and sources. Some previous journalism or reporting experience is required.
• Typical weekly time commitment: ~4-8 hours
• Contact Enterprise Managing Editor Aidan Lockhart at enterprise@dailytarheel.com

Data

• Produces original data-driven reporting with both written and visual components, often collaborating with investigative reporters.
• Staff members report on The DTH's main coverage areas (University, City & State, Sports), create data visualizations, and analyze data to collaborate with other reporters. Staffers have the latitude to pursue independent, data-driven projects.
• Typical weekly time commitment: ~4-8 hours
• Contact Data Editor Nidhi Philar at data@dailytarheel.com

Design

• Lays out newspaper pages to present photos, stories and headlines in attractive, engaging ways. Creates graphics, illustrations and charts that run both in print and online.
• Typical weekly time commitment: ~4-8 hours
• Contact Design Editor Aubrey Word at design@dailytarheel.com

Photo

• Takes photos of all the things The DTH covers, including news, sports and community events. Illustrates news stories through photojournalism. Photos appear in print and online.
• Typical weekly time commitment: ~2-4 hours
• Contact Photo Editor Ava Sharon and Deputy Photo Editor Joey Forgione at photo@dailytarheel.com

Audio-Visual

• Produces audio and video content to accompany reporting, as well as standalone pieces for readers on social platforms and the website. Audio content includes podcasts, and video content includes long-form documentaries and short-form pieces.
• Typical weekly time commitment: ~4-8 hours
• Contact Audio-Visual Editor May Proctor at audiovisual@dailytarheel.com

Audience Engagement 

• Produces email newsletters and creates content for DTH social media channels, with both original posts and content based on editorial coverage. The AE team engages readers by creating content for Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Works in shifts.
• Typical weekly time commitment: ~4-6 hours
• Contact Audience Engagement Editor Gabe Thumm at audience@dailytarheel.com

Copy

• The Copy Desk edits every article the DTH produces, both online and in print, for clarity, accuracy and AP style. They check facts, work on print production, and write headlines/decks and similar content. Works in shifts.
• Typical weekly time commitment: ~4-6 hours
• Typical Copy Chief Francie Wilhelm and Deputy Copy Chief Brooke Xu at copy@dailytarheel.com

Spanish

• Translates English articles and content to Spanish for print and online. The Spanish Desk also produces original reporting in Spanish with an emphasis on serving the Hispanic and Spanish-speaking communities. Works in shifts.
• Typical weekly time commitment: ~2-4 hours
• Contact Spanish Editor Maya Keating at spanish@dailytarheel.com

Crossword

• Creates weekly crosswords and games for print and online.
• Typical weekly time commitment: Flexible
  
• Contact Crossword Editor Brigit Pierce at games@dailytarheel.com 

Engineering

• Maintains and adds features to the website, mainly working with the crossword staff to update and troubleshoot the games page. Works on special digital projects throughout the year, such as website redesign, online special editions, and streamlining online Spanish translation efforts.
• Experience in backend web development, design and/or coding is recommended.
• Typical weekly time commitment: ~2-4 hours
• Contact Lead Engineer Shruthi Ramireddy at engineering@dailytarheel.com

Pick Your Desk Preferences

Select your first, second and third choice of desks in order of preference.

You MUST make a selection for all three, but if you genuinely have interest in only one desk, you may select it for all three choices. Just know that this limits your opportunities. Some of our most successful staff members started out on their third-choice desk!

Multimedia Desk Questions

Opinion Desk Questions

OPINION DESK DISCLAIMER

The Opinion Desk regularly engages with complex, controversial and emotionally charged topics. We understand that contributing to this section may feel daunting. Writing opinion pieces requires thoughtfulness, integrity and courage, especially in the midst of a political climate that has threatened sanctions to students who speak their mind. But it is critical for student media to continue speaking up for our readers, providing personal insight that helps contextualize the news of the day. If you are hired, please talk to Opinion Editor Luis Fuentes about any personal boundaries or topics you do not feel comfortable writing about. Your safety and values matter to us.

Spanish Desk Questions

These questions are to gauge your proficiency, and are not indicative of any requirements to work for the desk. You will have an opportunity to demonstrate proficiency through your work samples, even if you are not a native speaker or have not passed the intermediate Spanish course.

Work samples are REQUIRED. They help us assess your skill level as we go through the large number of applications we receive.

The work samples do not have to reflect journalism experience. They should give us a sense of the kind of work you can do. Here are some specific requirements for each desk.

If more than one of your desk choices is a writing-focused desk (University, City & State, Lifestyle, Opinion, Enterprise), you do not have to submit separate writing samples for each of them—unless it has its own special requirements, such as Sports, Data, or Spanish. If you are submitting more than one link, compile them onto one document and submit the file or shareable link:

University | City & State | Lifestyle | Opinion | Enterprise:

• Submit 1-3 writing samples, which can be published (or unpublished) work from another news organization, creative writing, an article written for a journalism class, etc. 
• Opinion Desk applicants interested in being a cartoonist may also submit sample artwork.
• Please combine all work samples into one document. This can include the work itself and/or links. 

Sports:

• Submit 1-2 writing samples, which can be published work from another news organization, creative writing, an article written for a journalism class, etc.
• Additionally, to get a sense of your sports writing ability, watch any non-UNC sporting event (does not have to be live) and write a 350-400 word game recap story. Write as you are watching the game to simulate what covering a game for The Daily Tar Heel would entail. 
• HERE is a sample game story (ignore the quotes, your gamer should not have any). Make sure to include the final score in the first paragraph and follow AP Style throughout.
• Please combine all work samples into one document. This can include the work itself and/or links. 

Data:

• Submit 1-2 writing samples, which can be published (or unpublished) work from another news organization, creative writing, an article written for a journalism class, etc. These should showcase your ability to synthesize reporting (interviews, research and public records) and data analysis into written work.
• Submit 1-2 work samples of data visualizations or presentations you have created, which can be published (or unpublished) work from another news organization, class, etc.

Photo | Audio-Visual | Design | Engineering:

• Provide work samples in the appropriate medium either by linking to an online portfolio (Instagram or other social media accounts are acceptable) or by submitting 1-3 work samples.
• Please combine all work samples into one document. This can include the work itself and/or links.

Copy:

• Edit the sample article found HERE for grammar, spelling, clarity and AP Style. Then, write a headline for the article. Please make a copy of the Google Doc, make your changes and upload your edited version below.

Spanish:

• Submit 1-2 writing samples that showcase your ability to write and/or report fluently in Spanish, which can be published work from another news organization, creative writing, an article written for a journalism class, etc. 
• Translate the sample article found HERE into Spanish (without AI tools), while staying as true to the original meaning and tone as possible. Please make a copy of the Google Doc, type the translated story below the original, leave the editing history on, and upload your edited version below (either to the link field or file field, but the link must be embedded somewhere).
• Upon reviewing your application, Spanish Editor Maya Keating (spanish@dailytarheel.com) may contact you for an interview.

Audience Engagement:

• Submit 1-2 writing samples. This can be published work from another news organization, creative writing, an article written for a journalism class, etc.
• Draft an X (Twitter) caption for this article. Here's an example. An important part of your job on the Audience Engagement Desk will be to craft captions that effectively summarize DTH articles. Clear, concise writing and attention to detail are critical.
• Guidelines:
  • X captions can be no longer than 275 characters.
  • Include “Read the full story.” on a separate line below your caption, as well as a bit.ly (shortened link) on another line below, using this link: https://bit.ly/3GrBA0N. These both figure into your character count.
  • You can copy and paste and/or paraphrase content from the article.
• Please combine all work samples into one document. This can include the work itself and/or links.

Crossword:

• Submit 1-3 crossword theme ideas that you would like to see in The DTH, which can include theme sets and possible prompts. Compile these into one document.
• Submitting your own crossword puzzle is not required, but if you have made mini or full-size crosswords, you may include them in the document you submit with your ideas.