Ridge Solly Molina

Congressional Intern, Presented by UPS Foundation     

Hometown: East Elmhurst, New York  

School: CUNY Bernard M. Baruch College  

Major: Marketing Management 

Placement: Office of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez  

Ridge Molina was born and raised in East Elmhurst, Queens, New York. Growing up, he often heard his parents’ story of immigrating from Mexico at the ages of 19 and 14, and how they eventually built a life in New York. Sharing a single room with a family of five for most of his childhood, Ridge began helping his parents financially from a young age. Among a few other efforts, Ridge sold candy in local parks throughout all four years of high school to support his family during the COVID-19 pandemic and save for college. As a first-generation college student, Ridge actively seeks to learn about finance, government, and law, sharing that knowledge with his family and peers in his community.  

Ridge is pursuing a major in Marketing and a minor in Political Science at Baruch College. He works part-time at the Lawrence N. Field Center for Entrepreneurship as the Communication Coordinator at Baruch College and was involved with UNICEF at Baruch as the Vice President of Co-Sponsorships. Off campus, Ridge volunteers with the Heroes Academy, mentoring high school students across New York City—just as he was mentored in 2022. Known for his curiosity and drive, Ridge embraces opportunities to uplift both his family, friends, and community.  

Ridge hopes to deepen his understanding of government and policymaking, particularly at the local level, while gaining insights that will guide his path toward a potential future run for public office. He sees his CHCI experience as an opportunity to learn directly from those shaping policy, build meaningful connections, and develop the tools needed to serve his community effectively.