Leaders Learn Here: Angie Craig, U.S. House of Representatives, Minnesota’s 2nd District

Angie Craig, now a congresswoman from Minnesota, arrived on campus at the University of Memphis with her mind set on becoming a journalist.

“My first memory is walking into Professor Elinor Grusin’s office and telling her I wanted to be a reporter on the Daily Helmsman,” she said.

She eventually became the paper’s top editor, and loved it.

“(Tennessee Secretary of State) Tre Hargett was president of the student body when I was editor of the Helmsman,” Craig said. “I always thought I was going to chase down politicians and hold them accountable, not be one!”

Craig and Grusin, now retired, are still in touch.

“I have very few memories of college, but I do remember putting the paper to bed in the basement of the Meeman Journalism building.”

Craig later became a reporter at The Commercial Appeal.

“I was mostly a general assignment reporter at both the Daily Helmsman and The CA,” she said, and points out that her job in Congress is similar. “Like in journalism, you’ve got to know a little bit about a lot of things. Truthfully, the job I still enjoy most is sitting down with constituents and hearing their stories.”

Craig doesn’t get back to campus often, but hosted President Bill Hardgrave last year in her office in Washington and came away impressed by the research capabilities the University has built.

“I’ve always thought of the University of Memphis as a little bit of an underdog, punching above its weight,” Craig said.

“I’ve always thought of myself as a little bit of an underdog, too,” she said, having grown up in an Arkansas mobile home park, raised by a single mother.

“I loved my time in Memphis, and I’m always rooting for Memphis.”