The Houston Press is recruiting undergraduate journalism and communications students for its Fall 2012 internship program, and the deadline is fast approaching.

By "student," we do not mean "a student of life"; we mean "currently enrolled in college." There's no cash offered with this gig, only college credits.

Still interested? Read on!

Interns work directly with Houston Press editors. Depending on your skills and interests, interns cover pop culture, music, art, gaming, fashion, film, television, dance, celebrity news, politics, food, sports and trends. There's no grunt work involved. You'll work alongside Houston Press award-winning editors and reporters, contributing to both our print and online editions.

These are not entry-level positions. You should have some experience (writing for a school or community newspaper, blog or Web site is fine) and related course work. The most important thing is that you can write, and that you can tell an interesting, accurate story.

Beyond that, you should know something about the area you'd like to cover. You should also understand the importance of deadlines and know your way around a point-and-shoot digital camera. Being bilingual and over 21 years old is a plus for music reporters, but not a requirement.

It's important that interns have people skills. So if the thought of asking a stranger a question makes you want to crawl back into your cave, this might not be the job for you. This is a really fun gig, but it's also lots of work. We require a commitment of 12 to 15 hours a week (depending on your school). Reliable transportation is a must.

The fine print: We are unable to offer cash compensation for your efforts. You must enroll in a college internship program to qualify. Your internship will start when your semester begins and conclude when the semester ends. You must have reliable transportation.

If you think you have what it takes, send a resume, unofficial transcript, and three to five writing samples to [email protected] or call 713-280-2483.