All students at the University are welcome to join The Cavalier Daily student newspaper at the beginning of every new semester. Regardless of your interests, this is a place where you'll be able to develop your skills and produce content you're passionate about.
In February, we will be recruiting new members for the Spring 2021 term to help expand our story-telling capacity amid the unique challenges of our current moment. Now, more than ever, we are committed to using our platform to uplift voices that have been and continue to be underrepresented at the University.
With a diverse staff of more than 475 students, The Cavalier Daily strives to serve the University and Charlottesville communities by providing accurate and reliable news in both our print and online media. There are a wide range of opportunities at our paper for students interested in writing, reporting, production, photography, graphic design, advertising, information technology and more. For more information about our different departments, please view the descriptions below.
If you would like to be added to our interest list, please email recruit@cavalierdaily.com and include the following information with your email:
News
News writers cover state, local and University news, including legislation in Richmond, student government organizations on Grounds and important issues facing the University and Charlottesville communities. From breaking news to making national headlines with our investigative journalism, News writers are able to make a difference in the University community by reporting on what students care about. You'll get the chance to take on stories in different beats ranging from student life and administration to student activism and Greek Life. In the past, News reporters have covered important stories affecting the U.Va. community, including the impact of COVID-19 on students and professors, the University's use of an admissions watch list for applicants connected to donors, sexual misconduct allegations against students, racism within University yearbooks and how the local community responded to the violent white supremacist rallies in August 2017. And if there's something you're passionate about that isn't being covered, you're always able to pitch an idea. Fast turnaround times and high levels of responsibility for new writers often quickly and dramatically improve writing, reporting and critical thinking skills. The News Section recruits writers at the beginning of each semester through an application process. Email news@cavalierdaily.com with any questions.
Opinion
Opinion columnists have one of the best jobs at the University, as they get to publish their opinions about a range of topics facing the University community. The Cavalier Daily is read not only by University students and administrators, but also by local residents, state and national politicians, interest groups and national news media, so the potential for influencing public opinion is high. Because of high demand, there is a competitive tryout process for columnists, but Opinion is always looking for as many new writers as it can get. Announcements for tryouts will be made early each semester, and each year the majority of new columnists are also new students. The Opinion section also welcomes guest submissions from anyone in the University community. Email opinion@cavalierdaily.com with any questions.
Magazine
The abCD Magazine, launched in 2017, provides in-depth coverage of complex and often controversial news topics, such as faculty salaries and high-stakes fundraising projects. Writing a Magazine article is a great way to learn about the University and a good opportunity to practice writing longer, more complicated stories. Students interested in journalism — or just in improving their writing — are encouraged to consider writing for abCD. Email mag@cavalierdaily.com with any questions.
Health & Science
The Health & Science section covers all things STEM, including environmental advocacy, technological breakthroughs, public health issues, and developments in medicine and research. As one of the smaller sections, H&S is looking for new writers to help increase coverage of the continuing coronavirus pandemic and ongoing research. Health & Science writers have the opportunity to communicate with a wide range of sources including U.Va. Health administrators and prominent researchers to University professors and science-focused NGOs in the Charlottesville area. Applicants do not need to be STEM majors or on a pre-med track to join the section — as long as you have a passion for science or technology, H&S wants you. Students interested in communicating scientific topics creatively and informatively should consider Health & Science! Email health@cavalierdaily.com with any questions.
Sports
Writers in the Sports department cover every sport and athlete at the University with full press access through briefs, columns and features. New sports writers can begin writing immediately, and first-year students have been known to have bylines before classes even start. You'll even have the chance to develop personal relationships with athletes and coaches and find stories that take place off the field. You may even be able to travel across the country to cover games like we did to cover the Men's Basketball National Championship team in 2019. Cavalier Daily sportswriters have gone on to work for The Athletic, Sports Illustrated and The Washington Post, as well as newspapers throughout Virginia, all while still students at the University. The Sports department is the place to be for students interested in careers in sports writing or broadcasting, and offers many opportunities to students who want to take being a fan to the next level. Email sports@cavalierdaily.com with any questions and follow the Sports section on Twitter @CavDailySports.
Life
The Life section features personal columns about student life, as well as feature stories about the events and happenings that shape the University experience. Life columnists have the opportunity to speak and write on an incredibly wide range of issues by diving into their own personal experiences or communities — all while relating them back to the reader and what they can learn from the writer’s experiences. If you would like to share your reflections, narratives or experiences with the University community, The Cavalier Daily can serve as your platform. Applications for the Life section are announced at the beginning of each semester, and they are looking specifically for students with diverse perspectives to share. The Life section also welcomes guest submissions from anyone in the University community. Email life@cavalierdaily.com with any questions.
Arts & Entertainment
The Arts & Entertainment section covers all things creative in the Charlottesville and University communities. From interviewing student performers to writing film, music or book reviews, A&E gives writers the ability to provide commentary on the arts and media. As an Arts & Entertainment reporter, you'll get to cover how students express current events through art or film, how the music curriculum has changed due to COVID-19 and how local artists reconcile with a lack of racial representation in the media. A&E has weekly staff meetings and plenty of chances for writers to pitch their own story ideas and develop their own literary style. Email ae@cavalierdaily.com with any questions.
Podcast
Created in 2019, "On Record" is The Cavalier Daily's weekly podcast series available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts where you can listen to in-depth commentary on University news. The Podcast section is made up of both writers and producers who receive training upon joining staff. Writers have the opportunity to compose podcast scripts, conduct investigative research and interview sources. Podcast producers are responsible for recording and editing weekly podcast episodes using Adobe Audition. "On Record" is recorded weekly using equipment in the Robertson Media Center located in Clemons Library. Any students interested in the exciting and growing world of podcasting are invited to apply. Email podcast@cavalierdaily.com with any questions.
Copy Staff
An integral section of the paper, the Copy staff reads News, Magazine, Life, Sports, Health & Science, Arts & Entertainment, Humor and Opinion articles principally to ensure factual and stylistic accuracy before they are published by the Editor-in-Chief. Copy editors will check facts and use AP style during weekly shifts. A firm grasp of the English language is essential. Email ame@cavalierdaily.com with any questions.
Humor
Contrary to what other sections would have the public believe, the Humor section claims it is the best part of the paper – and just like everything you read on the Internet, it must be true. Humor articles are written for the general purpose of mirth, merry-making and gaiety. Columnists write columns on a wide variety of topics, linked by the common thread of jokes. If you like to make other people laugh, Humor would love to hear from you. The Humor section also welcomes guest contributions from our readers. Email humor@cavalierdaily.com with any questions.
Cartoon
The Cartoon section is responsible for expressing news and opinions from U.Va. and beyond through comics of a variety of forms. Cartoonists are given the freedom to express their opinions and commentaries on a wide variety of topics through a visual format, making it unlike any other editorial section within the paper. Students with a diversity of skills, artistic or otherwise, should consider the opportunity to have their voices heard in such a unique medium. Email cartoon@cavalierdaily.com with any questions.
Production
The Production department is responsible for the organization of the weekly print newspaper. Production staffers work with Adobe InDesign and Photoshop to lay out and design each page of the paper while implementing new designs to make the paper and its articles more visually engaging. This responsibility allows the Production staff to use their creativity to shape The Cavalier Daily's print product. Email prod@cavalierdaily.com with any questions.
Photography
The Cavalier Daily Photo department gets full access to the paper’s pro-level DSLRs and lenses. Cav Daily Photographers get the chance to cover a variety of events on grounds; from Sports to concerts, our photographers get passes to get right up to the action. Photographers' work is shared in a variety of formats, including but not limited to: the print edition, online articles, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. While many photographers have a great deal of experience, anyone is welcome to join the Photo Department. Even first-time photographers, eager to get involved, can be trained with our equipment and sent out to shoot awesome photos. Email photo@cavalierdaily.com with any questions.
Social Media
The social media section manages The Cavalier Daily's continuously developing efforts on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and more. We aim to spread our content across the web to reach as big an audience as possible. Want to get involved? We're looking for bold, innovative, self-starters ready to contribute new strategies and ideas. Email sm@cavalierdaily.com with any questions.
Graphics
The Graphics section of The Cavalier Daily is responsible for producing content across all sections to be used online and in print. Our staffers also create advertisements and PSAs for our print issues. We are looking for ambitious, motivated students who have an interest in graphic design and working with the Adobe Suite in creating static and motion graphics. Any level of experience (from none whatsoever to expert level) is encouraged to join and help grow the visuals of The Cavalier Daily. Email graphics@cavalierdaily.com with any questions.
Video
The Video section is dedicated to producing quality video coverage of news as well as in-depth investigative reports of the University and in Charlottesville area. We are looking for dedicated students who are experienced or interested in filming, editing and producing digital stories top to bottom. If you have a passion for video journalism, or a vision for the future of the online Cavalier Daily, Video is the best place for you! Email video@cavalierdaily.com with any questions.
Advertising
The Cavalier Daily’s advertising representatives are the paper’s only paid staff members. Ads reps work on commission and have the opportunity to gain practical experience in customer service, design, and production. Email ads@cavalierdaily.com with any questions.
Finance
The Cavalier Daily is looking for ambitious, motivated people to assist with finance operations. The Cavalier Daily offers valuable, real-world business experience with the University’s largest, fully independent, privately owned corporation, The Cavalier Daily Inc. The Marketing Staff helps rebrand the Cavalier Daily as it transitions from a daily print newspaper to a digital-first news organization. The staff manages advertising campaigns, conducts marketing research, and solicits community input into the changes this organization makes. Email finance@cavalierdaily.com with any questions.
