The Intercept, in collaboration with Professor Erin Siegal McIntyre of the University of North Carolina, is proud to announce the launch of an innovative student journalism pilot program focused on the 2024 election and its aftermath.
This fall, six student journalists from Siegal McIntyre’s Advanced Reporting Class will develop stories and conduct investigations into issues relevant to students and younger voters. Participating students will receive comprehensive support from The Intercept newsroom, including editing guidance, legal counsel, professional bylines, and a stipend. Their reporting will be published on The Intercept’s website and social media platforms.
The program will nurture the next generation of reporters at a time when journalism is under threat. This pilot will serve as the foundation for The Intercept’s new effort, Rising Student Voices, which will launch in 2025 as a regular program.
“In an era where journalism faces unprecedented challenges, initiatives like this are crucial,” said Sumi Aggarwal, Chief Strategy Officer at The Intercept, who is leading the program. “By investing in emerging journalists, we’re reimagining the future of journalism by fostering a new generation of well-trained reporters.”
A cornerstone of this initiative is the robust support and guidance provided to participating student journalists. The Intercept’s General Counsel David Bralow will offer comprehensive legal guidance throughout the program, ensuring these students undertake courageous stories without fear of reprisal.
“As the journalism industry continues to evolve, it’s clearer than ever that the future demands collaboration,” said UNC professor Erin Siegal McIntyre. “Students journalists in states with vast news deserts like our own are well-positioned to serve as change agents. I’m thrilled that they’ll be able to engage in critical reporting in the public interest while learning from a team committed to accountability work.”
The pilot program will inform the development of a larger initiative planned for 2025, which aims to involve a larger cohort covering a wide range of issues beyond politics. Applications will open in November 2024.
IT’S EVEN WORSE THAN WE THOUGHT.
What we’re seeing right now from Donald Trump is a full-on authoritarian takeover of the U.S. government.
This is not hyperbole.
Court orders are being ignored. MAGA loyalists have been put in charge of the military and federal law enforcement agencies. The Department of Government Efficiency has stripped Congress of its power of the purse. News outlets that challenge Trump have been banished or put under investigation.
Yet far too many are still covering Trump’s assault on democracy like politics as usual, with flattering headlines describing Trump as “unconventional,” “testing the boundaries,” and “aggressively flexing power.”
The Intercept has long covered authoritarian governments, billionaire oligarchs, and backsliding democracies around the world. We understand the challenge we face in Trump and the vital importance of press freedom in defending democracy.
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IT’S BEEN A DEVASTATING year for journalism — the worst in modern U.S. history.
We have a president with utter contempt for truth aggressively using the government’s full powers to dismantle the free press. Corporate news outlets have cowered, becoming accessories in Trump’s project to create a post-truth America. Right-wing billionaires have pounced, buying up media organizations and rebuilding the information environment to their liking.
In this most perilous moment for democracy, The Intercept is fighting back. But to do so effectively, we need to grow.
That’s where you come in. Will you help us expand our reporting capacity in time to hit the ground running in 2026?
We’re independent of corporate interests. Will you help us?
I’M BEN MUESSIG, The Intercept’s editor-in-chief. It’s been a devastating year for journalism — the worst in modern U.S. history.
We have a president with utter contempt for truth aggressively using the government’s full powers to dismantle the free press. Corporate news outlets have cowered, becoming accessories in Trump’s project to create a post-truth America. Right-wing billionaires have pounced, buying up media organizations and rebuilding the information environment to their liking.
In this most perilous moment for democracy, The Intercept is fighting back. But to do so effectively, we need to grow.
That’s where you come in. Will you help us expand our reporting capacity in time to hit the ground running in 2026?
We’re independent of corporate interests. Will you help us?
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