As a lifelong journalist, it’s been disheartening to watch the election and its aftermath. Like many readers, I’ve always believed that if you just show the audience the truth or if you uncover wrongdoing, people will act and demand change.

But I’ve spent the last few weeks questioning my vocation.

The divided news ecosystem originated decades ago. But this year’s election brought into stark public view just how divided we really are. How do we reconcile the most idealistic vision of journalism with the state of our body politic?

I haven’t come to any great solutions and, like many of you, I’m pondering what role journalism plays now.

The one thing giving me hope is partnering with student journalists as part of The Intercept’s Rising Student Voices initiative. I spent the past semester working with six talented student journalists at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and their professor, Erin Siegal McIntyre. We chose this partnership because we wanted to tap into how young voters in a key swing state were approaching the issues and candidates on the ballot.

These young journalists uncovered stories that were slipping under the national radar. They offered unique perspectives and campus access that seasoned reporters often miss. We covered the basics — research, interviewing, editing, fact-checking — while also working through real-time reporting questions and ethical dilemmas.

Working with students has uncovered angles we wouldn’t have found otherwise. They surfaced impactful stories, from a homeschooler running for North Carolina’s top education post to how the nation’s largest public universities are trying to stifle protests on campus. It was heartening in the days after the election to see their determination to continue their reporting projects. Some plan to finish their pieces even after the semester ends.

I believe student journalists are an untapped resource — one that more newsrooms would be wise to partner with. They provide reporting power, youthful energy, and diverse viewpoints that can help expand audiences. If we want to cover news deserts and grow our reach, student journalists can be a part of the solution.

I hope more newsrooms will embrace partnerships with student journalists. The benefits go beyond just the stories they uncover. It’s an investment in the future of our industry and our democracy.

While most of the students in our cohort probably won’t go on to become reporters, I believe it was a worthwhile endeavor. By experiencing the reporting and editing process, and being compensated for it, hopefully these students will not only become regular Intercept readers, but more importantly, discerning news consumers.