innovative teaching

Olympia interns need sponsors to continue reporting on legislature

Intern Chris Mongillo at a Q&A session. Photo courtesy Chris Mongillo.

The Department of Communication has included the Olympia Legislative Reporting Internship program as part of the journalism curriculum since the early 1970s. Indeed, in November of 2008, Mike Henderson, who has overseen the internship program for much of the past 10 years, was a guest at a reunion of former students who, in 1973, formed the first Olympia cohort.

The program matches UW journalism students with host news organizations such as The Seattle Times and radio station KPLU-FM. Most residents of Washington state who read or hear about legislative sessions get their news from the efforts of the UW interns.

The latter are asked to make significant commitments to the program. They must live in Olympia winter quarter because their work requires them to be available virtually around the clock. Students are able to earn as many as 12 credits while in the program.

A list of noted alumni from the program includes former Seattle Post-Intelligencer political reporters Chris McGann and Angela Galloway, as well as many other students who went on to significant jobs as journalists.

An ongoing challenge facing Department of Communication faculty members will be to try to find ways to support the program. As recently as 2007 we had little trouble each year finding 10 or 12 host sponsors willing to pay the $2,500 required to support an intern for 10 weeks. Because of a poor economy for news organizations, host sponsors have become scarce.

A vigorous effort to identify new participants was launched in July 2009, with the acknowledgement that accountability in government means close scrutiny by journalists. Parties interested in helping support the program are encouraged to contact Henderson at mikh@u.washington.edu or (206) 940-2451.