South Dakota News Watch is again hosting two young journalists this summer through paid internships from the South Dakota State University Foundation and the Scripps Howard Foundation.
They both start next week. Here are their biographies.
Amina Aidarkhanova, SDSU
Amina Aidarkhanova (eye-dar-HA-no-va) is pursuing a double major in sociology and journalism at South Dakota State University in Brookings. Originally from Karaganda, Kazakhstan, she brings an international and cross-cultural perspective to her reporting, with a particular interest in rural communities, social inequality and the experiences of underrepresented groups.
At SDSU, Aidarkhanova is a reporter for The Collegian, covering campus and community stories. Her academic work in sociology has strengthened her interest in examining how larger social forces shape individual lives, an approach she hopes to bring to her reporting at News Watch. In addition to her journalism experience, she is conducting independent research through a university fellowship focused on the role of women in rural communities.
Fluent in Kazakh and Russian, proficient in English and intermediate level in French, Aidarkhanova is passionate about thoughtful, data-informed storytelling that connects local issues to broader social contexts. In her spare time, she enjoys reading research articles, exploring different cultures through language, travel and playing different kinds of sport.
Aidarkhanova received the 2026 Jeffrey B. Nelson Investigative Journalism Endowed Internship and the Chuch Raasch and Sandy Johnson Scholarship from the SDSU Foundation, which cover her salary and tuition expenses.
Elena Tittel, Northwestern University
Elena Tittel is a master’s student at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in Chicago and in the Medill Investigative Lab based in Washington. She earned a bachelor of the arts degree in English and psychology from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York.
A research-oriented and data-driven reporter, who has previously covered housing, homelessness, public health and community events and organizations, she has experience reporting for ProPublica, Medill Investigative Lab D.C., Hyde Park Herald, The Fauquier Times, WAMC Northeast Public Radio, The Saratogian, Franky in New York, The Skidmore News and Medill News Service, reporting on the Capitol Hill.
With an extensive, strong background in local journalism, Tittel is extremely passionate about community-centric reporting and amplifying the voices of those who may not otherwise be heard. She is expected to finish her degree in August.
Tittel's internship was funded with support from the Nonprofit Newsroom Internship Program created by The Scripps Howard Fund and the Institute for Nonprofit News.
Do you value education? Please consider helping to cover the investment of our internship program.
South Dakota News Watch is an independent nonprofit. Read, donate and subscribe for free at sdnewswatch.org. Contact: info@sdnewswatch.org.
