Minnesota Senate highlights nonpartisan internship in Council Research and Fiscal Analysis Office

A Minnesota Senate video profile highlighted an intern in the Senate Council Research and Fiscal Analysis Office who spent a session converting decades of paper financial records to digital files and working with members of both parties.

Teresa Hernandez, identified in the video as an intern, said she was updating processes and financial reports from 1997 to 2017 that were “all on paper” and in folders of “100 to 200 pages,” which she described as overwhelming. “A document can get lost. A document can get spilled on, whereas if it's online, there's going to be some trace of it permanently,” Hernandez said. She said her work included consolidating that material into a single Word document and Excel spreadsheet to make it easier for anyone to access.

The video emphasized nonpartisan work. Hernandez said she sought a position that let her work “with both sides of the aisle” and cited experience supporting financial analysts while also working with senators from both Republican and Democratic caucuses to create bills. “I had the ability to work with both Republicans and Democrats and work with them all in, like, a cohesive manner,” she said.

The video framed the internship as offering public access and insight into the legislative process. Hernandez said she planned to carry skills learned during the five-month stint into future education and work.

The video concluded by inviting applications for internships for the 2026 legislative session and gave a deadline of Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, directing viewers to senate.mn for details and the application.