Three student journalists are getting hands-on experience covering the Minnesota State Legislature this session for local news outlets across the state, including KAXE.
Sam Siedow, Elias Thomas and Yvette Higgins are interns with the Report for Minnesota program, a project of the University of Minnesota's Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Providing state Capitol coverage is an expansion of the program, which also places students in summer internships at outstate newspapers.
Siedow is a second-year student at the U of M, double majoring in journalism and anthropology, who hails from Maryland near Washington, D.C. Thomas is a senior studying journalism, originally from Freeport, Maine. South Minneapolis native Higgins is also in her second year, double majoring in journalism and art.
While all three described a love for telling stories that drew them to the field, none of the interns expected to find themselves covering state government — and enjoying it.
"Political reporting is something that I have never really considered, but through being a part of Report for Minnesota and being able to be at the Capitol, I've learned that there's a way to humanize every story," Siedow said. "There's always a human element, and politics, at the end of the day, touches everything in the world."
Thomas noted the experience is rounding out his resume as he prepares to enter the working world, and he's learning a lot about how government works.
"I've always been somebody who kind of stays away from politics. I have a general understanding of them, but I don't always participate in those conversations," he said. "But to see the workings of the government, especially at a local level, in a very interesting time in politics is very valuable as a reporter."
Higgins agreed she wasn't drawn to government reporting at first, but has gained valuable experience in St. Paul.
"You get to talk to a wide variety of people, and you can always add human interest aspects," Higgins said. " ... I think it's the stories that again, people really care about, and it's nice to know that there are people in Greater Minnesota who are reading our stories and really appreciating them."
Thus far, they've produced stories on school funding, rural emergency medical services, fishing licenses, cottage foods and more.
Listen to our full conversation above to get to know these students, who will continue to cover the Minnesota Legislature this 2025 session.
