Political Science and History major Peyton Ribblett hopes to one day serve in the State Department as diplomat. Her most recent Field Period® was nothing if not a four-week lesson in the art of diplomacy.
The Keuka College senior spent a month this past winter in the Jamestown office of U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy, the second-term Republican who represents New York’s Southern Tier-based 23rd District.
Serving as one of the office’s chief points of contact, Peyton spent much of her Field Period answering constituent calls and responding to questions on hot-button topics such as the federal tariffs.
A senior from Randolph, N.Y., Peyton said the experience provided a firsthand look at how public service operates behind the scenes. While politics often dominates headlines, she discovered that much of the work in a congressional district office focuses on helping constituents navigate federal systems and ensuring their concerns are heard.
“I definitely learned that constituent voices matter,” she said. “A lot of people think it’s just a fairy tale that elected officials care about what they say. But they really do.”
That’s especially true on issues that affect residents directly and emotionally, Peyton learned.
“I took a lot of immigration phone calls, people calling about their green cards,” she said. “Especially in a time like this, I feel like it’s important to be there for them.”
Peyton also spent considerable amount of time lobbying for the Energy Choice Act, legislation introduced by Rep. Langworthy that would prohibit local governments from restricting specific energy sources.
“I think I called just about every town clerk in this entire region,” Peyton said, describing how she solicited support of the bill, which has not yet been voted on, in the form of resolutions by town and village boards. “To back that piece of legislation was just something I was proud to be a part of.”
That pride is well-founded, said Deputy District Director Christine Rinaldi, Peyton’s Field Period supervisor. With scores of towns and villages located throughout the sprawling nine-county district, the liaison work was considerable.
“It was a huge project, coordinating with so many municipalities,” Rinaldi said. “I told her, ‘Keep track, and when you see that bill pass, you’ll know you had a small part in it.’”
The internship gave Peyton a broader understanding of how congressional offices function and how staff members support elected officials.
“There’s way more that goes into it than I ever imagined,” she said. “Being there really opened my eyes to the day-to-day operations and how much work happens behind the scenes.”
That insight reinforced Peyton’s long-term career goals. She hopes eventually to pursue opportunities in diplomacy, ideally working in Middle Eastern and North African affairs through the U.S. State Department.
“Public service is really my end goal,” she said. “Politics can be part of that, but what really motivates me is helping people and understanding the issues they’re facing.”
After graduating this spring – three years after enrolling at Keuka College, thanks to college credits earned in high school – Peyton plans to pursue fellowships and other opportunities that will build experience in government and international affairs. Her Field Period in Rep. Langworthy’s congressional office, she said, was a momentum builder.
“It was an incredibly eye-opening experience, hearing what people care about. I definitely feel like I have more of an insight into what I could be looking into in the future, in terms of escalating my career.”
