The Michael G. Oxley Internship and the Bill Frenzel Fellowship honors the memory of two special leaders who provided decades of exemplary service to Congress, the Republican Party, and The Ripon Society – former House Financial Services Committee Chairman Michael G. Oxley (Ohio) and former House Budget Committee Ranking Member Bill Frenzel (Minnesota).

Experts in pertinent public policy and the art of legislating, Chairman Oxley and Rep. Frenzel were true statesmen who represented what was right in Washington, D.C. and the Republican Party: a pragmatic mindset, a sense of decency and wit, intellectual curiosity, and an unfailing commitment the United States and its future.

Both paid positions, the Oxley Internship is intended for those still working towards their undergraduate degree, and the Frenzel Fellowship is for individuals who have graduated college and are beginning their careers in D.C.

As an Oxley Intern or a Frenzel Fellow at The Ripon Society, you will be responsible for assisting the organization in executing various projects that support and enhance communication within the organization and externally with government policy makers, congressional staff, and Ripon Society members.

Key Job Functions:

• Conduct research and help write Ripon Society documents
• Conduct research on legislation from policy makers, assist in developing programming ideas
• Edit and write other communications
• Assist with The Ripon Forum tasks as needed
• Assist with logistics associated with Capitol Hill policy discussions
• Perform day to day administrative duties as needed

Required Skills:

• We are looking for an individual who has a keen interest in public policy
• The individual must demonstrate the ability to undertake writing assignments, and possess a basic understanding of government relations skills
• An educational background in public policy, communications and political science is ideal
• Ability to write clearly and effectively
• Hard-working, highly motivated, and self-sufficient

We are happy to announce that in September of 2024, The Ripon Society will be taking applications for its January 2025 Fellowship and Internship programs.

For more information about the Oxley Internship or Frenzel Fellowship with The Ripon Society, please contact us at info@riponsociety.org with a copy of your resume attached.

My internship at The Ripon Society has been one of the best, if not the best, experiences of my life. I have learned so much about the inner workings of Washington, DC, and what a job in politics entails throughout my time at Ripon.

The moment I stepped foot in the office, I was warmly greeted by all the staff. The staff at Ripon are some of the most amazing people I have ever met. They are more than co-workers — I now consider them family. I was able to work alongside so many intelligent people, who taught me so much and became valued mentors. The best part of interning at The Ripon Society is having such an exceptional boss as Jim Conzelman, President/CEO. Jim is truly the best boss I could have ever asked for; he cares for each one of his staff members.  The family feel was real at Ripon.

On the first day of my internship, The Ripon Society hosted a dinner event for Representative Liz Cheney. It was a great event, where I was able to speak with Representative Cheney one on one. The breakfast, lunch, and dinner events were my favorite part of interning with Ripon; speaking with members of Congress was amazing.  My favorite speaker overall, would have to be Republican Whip, Steve Scalise. Representative Scalise, was the most well-spoken and intelligent individual I have ever met. Moreover, I have made connections to several important American corporations – opportunities only available through my internship at Ripon.

My internship consisted of several challenging, yet fun, tasks. My usual tasks consisted of preparing for upcoming events, such as writing bios for our speakers, and creating name tags and thank you gifts. I also worked on transcriptions from past events and helped edit articles for the Ripon Forum. I was even given the task to make charts for the upcoming forum! Most importantly, I enjoyed choosing weekly Theodore Roosevelt quotes and making them into “Teddy Tweets,” on Ripon’s Twitter account. My key takeaway from these tasks is, that even while working, I was also learning about policy and politics in an amazing way.

I was lucky enough to be asked to extend my internship with Ripon throughout the summer of 2022. I was so happy to stay, I made great connections and friendships that I was able to continue with throughout summertime. And, I was also able to attend so many more events with member of Congress, and learn inside scoops on current goings on in the US and other Nations. The most valuable experience, by far, with The Ripon Society, was accompanying them to Austin, Texas for their yearly Roosevelt Leadership Awards, honoring members of Congress who embody the famous Theodore Roosevelt’s “Man in the Arena.” I was able to tour both the LBJ and George H.W. Bush Presidential Libraries and eat some of the best food I have ever had! The trip to Austin was the highlight of my internship and I will truly never forget it.

Thus far, the past six months of my life have been the best, all thanks to my internship and the team at Ripon. I was able to meaningfully grow my knowledge about politics in policy, at the Capitol of the United States, while also growing as an individual in so many ways. I can never thank Ripon and the entire staff enough for what they have given me. I will truly miss my teammates at The Ripon Society.

— Jillian Rowe
Milford, Michigan
Rising Senior, Miami University
Spring and Summer 2022 Oxley Intern

The summer I spent with the Ripon Society is one I will treasure all my life. The opportunities provided by the Ripon Society are some a person could not get anywhere else but in Washington DC. Being able to hear various speakers at their breakfast and lunch receptions such as Senator Barrasso was an amazing experience. It was an incredible honor to meet members of the United States Congress and listen to their stance on key issues at our events. Not only did I get to listen to members of the Legislative Branch, but I was introduced to other insightful speakers as well. My particular favorite was the hosts of the podcast, “Ruthless.” Other memorable aspects of my internship included working at Ripon Society events, and engaging with other members of the Ripon Society, the Franklin Center, and RAMS. Greeting the attendees before every event was something I looked forward to because each participant was so friendly and eager to interact. Every Ripon Society event I attended was an incredible experience and brought valuable insight into the world of Washington DC.

Prior to my internship, besides what I had observed in movies, I had no clue what working in Washington DC would entail. An internship at the Ripon Society exceeded my expectations. I was welcomed into their family as one of their own. The staff, by far, are some of the most amazing people I have ever met. Their encouragement and kindness made coming to work even more enjoyable. The atmosphere at the Ripon Society is warm and inviting, it felt like a second home. Everyone was so willing to include me in their organization, becoming a member of the Ripon Society team was an easy transition.

During my time at the Ripon Society, I contributed to a variety of important assignments thus helping me gain valuable skills. I researched for an upcoming edition of The Ripon Forum, assisted with several events, assisted in membership filing, contributed to the Teddy Tweets, and many more meaningful tasks. While researching for The Ripon Forum, I communicated with a variety of government agencies such as the Office of Personnel Management and the Library of Congress in order to find the most accurate information. In addition, I helped plan an upcoming trip that the Ripon Society is making to Charlottesville, VA for the Roosevelt Awards. I assisted in this project by finding activities in the area for the participants to enjoy while making sure the membership in the Ripon Society database was updated. In summary, the skills I acquired through my summer internship at the Ripon Society are those that I can apply to any place of employment. I am forever grateful to the Ripon Society for providing me with such an amazing learning opportunity.

Needless to say, no internship will have provided me with a greater experience than the one I had with The Ripon Society. Being a member of the Ripon Society staff has left me with more memories and knowledge than one could ever hope to gain from an internship.

— Caitlin Johnson
Miamisburg, Ohio
Rising Sophomore, Miami University
Summer 2021 Oxley Intern

When I decided I would do an internship in D.C. before graduating, I put together a list of what I was hoping to gain from the experience. As I was going through my options before submitting applications, I realized that I wanted to do a little bit of everything. I wanted exposure to business, policy work on the Hill, research, and more. I assumed I would need to eliminate some of these wants to be able to find an internship that actually existed. When I learned about the internship at the Ripon Society, I knew I had found the right fit. I came as part of a program through my university, so I was surrounded by other students interning in a variety of different offices. Hearing some of their experiences (both positive and negative), I am even more convinced that my position was the most suitable for me.

Some of the memories that stand out the most from my time with Ripon came from the chance to attend events (usually at least once, if not multiple, times a week) with experienced key speakers. I met and heard from business leaders, polling experts, and numerous members of congress from either side of the aisle. My supervisors always made sure to introduce me when they could and I now have a collection of photographs with representatives and figures who each expressed how lucky I was to be a part of such a great team. I felt like I had a far-reaching glimpse of life on the Hill without being confined to one particular office or point of view. I had a front row seat to the current issues that Congress was facing during the time I was there.

One of my favorite responsibilities as an intern was helping with event write-ups and selecting material for social media posts (the weekly “Teddy Tweets”). I was extremely grateful to have been given the opportunity to co-write an article for an edition of The Ripon Forum that was published towards the end of my internship. I loved how multifaceted my responsibilities were because it helped me to narrow down my interests as a student in a professional environment. I was asked to help with everything from reviewing membership fees, transcribing and commenting on material for the Ripon website, researching event ideas for the future calendar and upcoming international trip, and more.

Being mentored by the staff at the Ripon Society was more than I could have asked for. Each person was willing to offer help, but also to ask for my help, so I always had a project to work on and felt useful to the office the entire semester. The internship is truly a significant focus of The Ripon Society and I appreciated the efforts that were made to maximize my learning experience while I was there. My supervisors even encouraged me to take advantage of experiences outside of the office and helped orchestrate this when they could. I knew they had my best interest in mind, and it was comforting to know I had support available to me as I navigated through my time in D.C.

As I approach my final semester of school, I am more confident in my post-graduation plans because of the time I’ve spent in this position. Interning for The Ripon Society has easily been one of the most important opportunities that I could’ve taken advantage of in my undergraduate career, and I know the skills I’ve learned here will help me for years to come.

— Sarah Pearce
San Antonio, Texas
Senior, Brigham Young University
Fall 2019 Oxley Intern