Dryad Press (Dryad) is excited to announce the formal launch of a student internship programme first piloted in 2019. The initiative is a collaboration with Stellenbosch University’s (SU) English Department and offers a student from the department the opportunity to experience the multi-dimensional world of publishing, under the mentorship of Dryad’s founder, Michèle Betty. Dryad was established in 2016 as an independent literary press dedicated to contemporary South African poetry. It has published both new and established poets, among them award-winners Beverly Rycroft, Sally Ann Murray and Tony Ullyatt. Publisher Michèle Betty is also the editor of New Contrast: South African Literary Journal. The internship is an initiative encouraged under Sally Ann Murray’s leadership as Chair of the SU English Department; going forward, colleagues in the department will oversee the selection process of the intern by shortlisting candidates (ideally postgraduates enrolled for English Honours or Masters). Dryad Press will interview potential interns, one of whom will be selected for the 24-week internship programme. Applicants require strong writing skills and administrative potential, and an interest in local literary culture.
The recipient of the pilot internship in 2019 was SU English Honours student Caryn Leigh Oram. Caryn says that her “time as an intern provided the opportunity to gain invaluable knowledge and experience in the literary industry. Under Michèle’s guidance, I was able to refine my industry skills, learn the publishing process and, of course, read exceptional poetry. The internship programme is a brilliant opportunity.” The internship enabled so many reciprocal benefits that Caryn now serves as Dryad’s social media consultant, and the Dryad/SU PIP has been formalised as an annual occurrence.
The intern selected for 2020 is Sarah Uheida, who is currently completing her BA, majoring in English. She is a poet with several credits to her name, and an experimental memoirist whose work has garnered expressions of interest from publishers.
We congratulate Sarah on her appointment as the Dryad intern, and wish her a productive six month stint at Dryad, from June to December 2020.
Michèle Betty Sally Ann Murray