Internships & Awards
The National Federation of Democratic Women sponsors two internship awards for young Democratic women. Below are the criteria and application process for the awards. Download the application to complete. For more information about submitting nominees to the Awards Committee, go to Application and Instructions.
Rilla Moran Woods Internship
The Rilla Moran Woods Internship is a month long internship with the DNC Headquarters with a stipend of $3000.00 for expenses. Applicants must be 18- 25 years of age, and endorsed by her local Democratic Women’s club and the State Federation Democratic Women’s club. She must submit a letter of application detailing her academic standing, her political involvement and a 200 word essay explaining why a month’s internship at the DNC will help her with her political or career ambitions.
Agnes Bird Internship
The second place winner will receive the Agnes Bird Internship Award. The Agnes Bird Internship is for two weeks in the State Party office or a Congressional District office arranged by the State Democratic Federation with a stipend of $1500.00 for expenses.
History of Internship Awards
RILLA MORAN WOODS INTERNSHIP Rilla was elected the first President of the Federation at the May, 1972, meeting and served until 1977 when Jean Ohm of South Dakota was elected President during the annual convention at the Hyatt Regency in Phoenix, AZ. At this convention, the Rilla Moran Woods Fellowship for young women between the ages of 18 and 25 to work at the Democratic National Committee was established in honor of Rilla and to demonstrate NFDW’s commitment to involving young Democratic women in the Democratic Party. [Jean Ohm named Agnes Bird of Tennessee Parliamentarian in 1977]. The first winner in 1978 was Patricia Bunner, a law student from West Virginia. The Award was $500 to help pay room and board. The Award increased to $1,000 in the 1980s; $2,000 in the 1990s and $3,000 in 2003. At the 2012 NFDW annual convention in Louisville, KY, a resolution was passed to change the Founder’s Internship Award name to Rilla Moran Woods Internship Award. PURPOSE The purpose of the Award was to help young women who had demonstrated an interest in Democratic politics at the local and state level to gain experience at the national level. Shortly after it was established, the word “internship” was substituted for “fellowship.” Later following Rilla’s request, the name was changed to Founder’s Internship Award.
AGNES BIRD INTERNSHIP Agnes Thornton Bird, PhD. ,J. D., was the first Parliamentarian of NFDW named by Jean Ohm in 1977. She was Legal Counsel in 1985-87; named Outstanding OFDW Member in 1988 and Parliamentarian again in 91-93. She served as President of the Tennessee Federation and on the DNC as Vice Chair of the Democratic Party of Tennessee. She was a partner in a Maryville law firm which included her husband, Frank. She taught law, government, and foreign relations at Maryville College and University of Tennessee. She served on the Tennessee Human Relations Commission and was Vice Chair of the Tennessee Advisory Committee to the U. S. Civil Rights Commission. She served on the AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund Advisory Committee which advised on LAF grants to pursue sex discrimination cases. Frank established the Agnes Bird Internship Award in her memory in 1994 and the first Award, for $1,000, was given in Portland, Oregon, in 1995, to Jennifer Grondahl, KS.
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APPLICATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS
Guidelines for Nomination and Selection
In submitting the supporting information for a nominee, follow the criteria which is the basis for evaluating nominees. For Criteria of the three awards, see awards list.
Present supportive material as numbered exhibits with the letter of nomination.
Nominations are to be submitted by State Federations, or where the entire state is not federated, by a member club. The nominee need not be a resident of the state submitting the nomination.
The nominee must be present at the National Convention to receive the award, unless some unforeseen event occurs to prevent attendance.
Organizations are requested to limit nominations to one per category.
Application Process
State Presidents are requested to submit the letter of nomination and supporting documents to the Chair of the Awards Committee. For internship nominations, include the application form.
Please note that I attached the info on the America Emerge internship also.
For 2020 awards, submit your information and letters by email to Awards Chair, Peggy Stepp at pstepp48@gmail.com. Deadline for nominations must be received by May 1, 2020 in order to be considered.