On just their third day as interns at Spectrum News’ Washington, D.C., bureau, two Syracuse University undergraduates found themselves outside the U.S. Capitol, ready to conduct their first interviews on the job. Surrounded by seasoned reporters jostling for position, juggling phones and microphones, Sean Tessler ’25 and Megan Acker ’26 squinted into the sun as members of Congress made their way down the Capitol steps.
Sean Tessler ’25 reports from the U.S. Capitol steps during his Spectrum News internship in Washington, D.C.
“We were both so nervous,” recalls Tessler, who will graduate in December with a degree in broadcast and digital journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. “They’re all coming down, and suddenly you realize, ‘Oh my goodness, with the angles and the sun—these people don’t look like their photos.’”
Tessler and Acker had received their assignment just two hours earlier and spent that time frantically memorizing names, faces and questions for their assigned representatives. Their supervisors assured them it was a low-pressure assignment—it was OK if they didn’t come back with anything from their first “walk-off.”
But with quick thinking, Tessler managed to secure an interview. Knowing one of the congressmen drove a motorcycle, he positioned himself near the bike and waited. “I’m grateful to Spectrum for pushing me to try for an interview,” Tessler says. “Not only was I able to rise to the occasion, but they weren’t going to fault me if I didn’t—having that environment of growth was really helpful.”
From Classroom to Capitol Hill
Megan Acker ’26 gains hands-on experience interviewing lawmakers as a production assistant for Spectrum News’ Washington, D.C., bureau.
Tessler and Acker are in the nation’s capital through the Newhouse DC program, which places students in internships at prominent media companies while they take courses in the evenings. As production assistants at Spectrum News, they conduct interviews, write voice-overs, shadow reporters and attend press conferences in Washington.
“We’re kind of like the right-hand man, helping out wherever we can,” Tessler says. The duo has interviewed members of Congress, attended press gaggles with high-profile lawmakers and gained access to Media Row events in the Capitol.
Both students credit their Newhouse education with preparing them for Washington’s fast-paced environment. “Being able to write quickly and coming to D.C. with interview experience is very helpful,” Tessler says. “A lot of other colleges don’t have you immediately practicing journalism when you’re in school.”
For Acker, a dual major in broadcast and digital journalism and political science, the experience has helped clarify her career path. “It has helped me realize what I do and don’t want to do,” she says. “I definitely have a better direction for my career now than I did before.”
Democracy in Action
Matthew Davison G’26 (right) captures voter perspectives at a Liverpool polling site for NCC News as part of Democracy in Action.
Back in Central New York, graduate students in the Broadcast and Digital Journalism program participated in Democracy in Action, an Election Day reporting project now in its 16th year. Students reported from polling sites across Onondaga County, producing stories that focused not on races and results, but on the voters themselves.
“As a journalism student, Election Day feels like the Super Bowl,” says Matthew Davison G’26, who reported from a polling station in Liverpool. “The news never stops and stories are unfolding all around. I’ve always been drawn to election coverage because it gives you a window into what matters most to people.”
Keleigh Arrington G’26 edits her coverage of the Elbridge Town Council race on Election Day.
For Keleigh Arrington G’26, who covered the Elbridge Town Council race, Democracy in Action represents journalism’s essential role in democracy. “Democracy in Action is more than just a newsroom project because the work we do directly impacts how voters understand truth and accountability,” she says. “It means taking journalism beyond the classroom and using reporting to amplify voices that often go unheard.”
Elliot Pototsky G’26 approached the project as professional training. “I am treating this like it’s a real job,” he says. “This is my first time covering a live event.”
The project brought together students from multiple Newhouse classes to produce multimedia stories using text, audio, video and still photography. Stories aired on NCC News Online, the Newhouse Communications Center’s digital platform.
Elliot Pototsky G’26 (right) films Election Day coverage for NCC News, treating Democracy in Action as a professional newsroom assignment.
“Democracy in Action is an extension of what we learn in the classroom—how to report accurately, quickly and with context,” Davison explains. “It’s a chance to put those skills into practice in a real-world setting.”
Marisa Nuñez G’26 edits a same-day news package for NCC News during the Democracy in Action project.
That same sense of hands-on learning resonated with Marisa Nuñez G’26, who reported from a polling site in Syracuse and produced a same-day package for NCC News. “Through my coursework, I’ve gained foundational skills in researching, interviewing, writing and producing stories on deadline,” she says. “Democracy in Action gives me the opportunity to apply those skills in the field, strengthen my ability to report on civic engagement and serve the community through accurate and responsible journalism.”
Whether reporting from the steps of the U.S. Capitol or local polling places in Central New York, Newhouse students are learning that journalism is more than a profession—it’s a public service and a front-row seat to history in the making.
