TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION.

• Author: Lueders, Bill
• Position: EDITOR'S NOTE

The other day at The Progressive, we had an Intern Appreciation Lunch, where we ordered a couple of pizzas from the restaurant next door and spent a few minutes talking about how much we rely on our interns. It felt good to express our gratitude, and to hear from our interns that they feel grateful, too.

But what struck me most about it was how, after only twenty minutes, we were all back to work, attending to our respective tasks. Being an intern at The Progressive, it's hard not to feel urgently needed, because that's the truth. Our interns make it possible for us to get by with a small permanent staff. They are charged with a huge variety of tasks and consistently rise to the occasion, working with diligence and skill.

The Progressive currently has four interns, all of whom happen to be students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Let me tell you about them.

Molly Liebergall, our editorial intern, helps edit and fact-check stories for the magazine and website. Originally from Westport, Connecticut, she is a junior in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and is also pursuing a certificate in criminal justice.

Olivia Poches, our publishing intern, creates drafts of posts for web stories, manages donor information and acknowledgments, and works with subscriber data and fundraising initiatives. Originally from Portage, Wisconsin, Olivia is a senior pursuing her bachelor of arts in English literature.

Isabel Marshall, our digital media intern, focuses on data visualization, graphic storytelling, video, and infographies for online stories. She writes original digital content, conducts research, and experiments with social media and audience engagement strategies. Originally from New Canaan, Connecticut, she is a senior with a double major in political science and sociology.

Alexandria Millet, our Public School Shakedown intern, works with writers for this vital project, which highlights the importance of public education to democracy. She helps plan, create, and post content on our website and social media accounts. Originally from Milwaukee, she is a junior majoring in journalism, with certificates in educational policy and criminal justice.

Internships at The Progressive ave paid positions, a big plus for cash-strapped students, and they pay off in other ways as well. We recognize a responsibility to challenge our interns and help them grow professionally. Many go on to professional careers. Cara Lombardo, who...