Left to Right: Valerie Check, Sarah Rakoczy, Alyssa Patterson, Caroline Vanchura, Victoria Aultman-Hoffman, Amelia Molitor, Thérèse Boudreaux, Gregory (Willie) Taylor, Anna Fox, Chris LaBella, Malik Smith, Matthew Wright, Gabriel Powell, Brian Ntwali, Jordan Barker, Ewan Hayes, Andrew Davidson, Will Young, Dixon Anderson

Thérèse Boudreaux is one of the four Michigan Capitol Confidential interns. She attends Hillsdale College, where she studies politics. She enjoys working in public policy and conducting research. In her free time, Thérèse enjoys community service.

Valerie Check is an energy and environmental policy intern. A sophomore at Hillsdale College, Valerie plans to attend law school and then work in environmental policy. She studies English and is a member of the college mock trial team.

Recent Hillsdale College graduate Andrew Davidson works for the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation. Andrew received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and plans to pursue a career in law. He enjoys reading and playing the piano.

Saginaw Valley State University senior Malik Smith is a continuing advancement intern. Malik is from London and started his internship in January. He is studying supply chain management and is currently a resident assistant at SVSU. Malik enjoys playing and coaching soccer.

Alyssa Patterson serves in the communications department. A senior at Central Michigan University, she studies business management and marketing. Alyssa wants to prepare for a career in the liberty movement. She has already worked in the United States Congress and the Michigan Legislature.

Ewan Hayes is an intern with Michigan Capitol Confidential. He studies philosophy at Hillsdale College, where he will be a senior in the fall. He plans to continue working in the liberty movement and eventually pursue graduate school.

Recent Hillsdale College graduate Gabriel Powell joins us for his second summer. He is a Mackinac Center Legal Foundation intern and previously worked as a communications intern. Gabriel received a bachelor’s degree in politics and will attend Notre Dame law school in the fall.

Sarah Rakoczy is an intern in the communications department. Sarah is a senior attending Saginaw Valley State University, where she is president of the Turning Point USA chapter. Sarah is studying political science and plans to run for office one day.

Gregory (Willie) Taylor works with the advancement team. A senior economics major at Saginaw Valley State University, Willie came to Michigan from Cary, North Carolina, to play college football. He hopes to become an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Caroline Vanchura is a CapCon summer intern, having been with us since September 2022. She will be a freshman at Ave Maria University this fall, studying philosophy. Caroline, who enjoys reading and writing, is the eldest of 10 siblings.

Brian Ntwali, this year’s education policy intern, studies economics, math and computer science at Hope College. Brian aspires to spread the liberty movement in his home country of Rwanda. He enjoys reading and participates in an economics- focused book club on campus.

Michigan State University student Matthew Wright is an intern in energy and environmental policy. He hopes to attend George Washington University to pursue a law degree. A self-described “proud nerd,” Matthew enjoys history and science fiction.

Will Young, also a Michigan State University student, joins the CapCon team as an intern.

He is majoring in marketing as well as media information. Will wants to have a career in either marketing or cyber insurance.

Victoria Aultman-Hoffman has been with us for more than two years and enjoys working with donors in the advancement department. Victoria plans to continue working in the nonprofit think tank world upon graduation this fall. She was married in July.

Jordan Barker celebrated his one-year anniversary as an advancement intern at the Mackinac Center in March. He recently graduated from Northwood University and is returning in the fall to get a master’s degree. Jordan enjoys spending time on the lake and golfing.

Dixon Anderson has been with the Mackinac Center since October 2021. He is the graphic design intern, with a goal to continue in a career of the same field. Dixon describes himself as an artist, an avid music lover, and someone passionate about environmental policy.

Amelia Molitor joins us for her second summer as an intern in the advancement department. She studies psychology and theology at Walsh University. Amelia, soon to be sophomore, plans to pursue work in a Catholic diocese as a counselor.

Anna Fox started in May as a government affairs intern, working in the Mackinac Center’s Lansing office. Anna is a graduate student at Michigan State University, studying public policy. She enjoys traveling and studying historical figures.

Chris LaBella, a recent graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara, is this summer’s fiscal policy intern. Chris wants to pursue a master’s degree and work for a think tank. He enjoys playing the guitar, hiking and camping.