MANKATO — Interns at the state Capitol are nothing new, but all of the previous groups — dominated by political science majors and would-be law students — have been looking to learn.

Sen. Kathy Sheran thinks the group that started Thursday is going to do a lot of educating over the next three months.

“I know these interns are going to teach us a lot,” said Sheran, a Mankato Democrat who came up with the idea of an intern program at the Capitol for Minnesotans with disabilities. “They get the honor, but we’ll be the ones doing the learning.”

Adam Menden, 27, of Mankato is among the 11 selected for the inaugural Capitol Fellowship Program. Menden, who has Down’s syndrome, normally works in the food court at River Hills Mall.

Sheran is convinced that Menden and the other disabled interns have plenty to teach the 67 senators and anybody else who’s paying attention at the Minnesota Capitol during the legislative session that started Thursday — and it’s not a lesson in clearing tables or keeping a food court clean.

“It’s a chance for us to break through some of the barriers in our thinking about the capacity of these people to enter the workforce,” she said.

Residents of Mankato, with its long history of integrating MRCI employees and others with developmental disabilities into community jobs, have already learned that lesson. Other parts of Minnesota — including the metro area — haven’t.

“Up here it’s noticeably not the same,” she said. “It’s absent.”

Which is why Sheran initially came up with the idea. To make it happen was more complicated, but two Mankato executives toiled with Sheran last year to work through the numerous issues involved.

“Sen. Sheran and Pam Year from MRCI and I met pretty much all summer,” said Maureen Gustafson, executive director of MN Works.

MN Works — a  statewide initiative to assist people with disabilities to gain employment — came up with funding from the economic stimulus bill to provide stipends for the interns. MRCI provided the two job coaches who will supervise the interns at the Capitol. And together, they developed the competitive application program and selected the 11 finalists.

The interns, technically called “fellows,” include people who are blind, who use wheelchairs, who have chronic depression, who have developmental disabilities. But the point, Gustafson said, is for people working at and visiting the Capitol to see a group of 11 valuable workers.

“To demonstrate to the entire state people’s abilities — and not focus on the disabilities,” she said.

They’ll see that with Menden, according to Gustafson.

“He was nominated for just his exceptional work record and his great attitude,” she said.

Menden’s father Dan, his mother Mary Jo and his older brother A.J. joined Adam for his first day, hitting the road at 6 a.m. to make it in time for the 8:30 a.m. press conference in the Capitol rotunda, to tour the building, to learn Senate etiquette and protocol, to have lunch with Sheran and to meet the other fellows.

On future Thursdays, Menden and the others will be going to work. Dan Menden is confident Adam will be ready.

“My son is always up for something new and he feels very fortunate to be selected,” Menden said. “... What he will take away from it — and hopefully what other people will — is ‘Don’t set limits.’ You don’t have to have a handicap for that (lesson). ‘Don’t set limits for what you can do.’”

As for Menden’s assignment, it could be taking messages to senators during floor sessions, delivering mail, making copies, collating documents. Those jobs are just for now. What he and the other interns will be doing by the end of the session is unknown, Sheran said. Which is the point of the program — to not let preconceptions and biases restrict the possibilities.

“That is part of our adventure, the magic of our experience,” she said of learning what their ultimate contribution might be. “... It’s all part of our exploration to see what work we can be doing.”