Wheaton Blog

Hello. I’m Lauren Chiovetta, a Senior, majoring in Political Science.

During this summer I worked for a startup known as The Inheritance Project (the IP). It was an interesting job, focusing largely on what we mean by inheritance and how it influences us and our worldviews. The main reason I signed up to work with IP was to learn about myself and how heritage shaped me.

Turns out, I learned quite a bit about myself. During my time there I worked as an events producer, which is about all I can say since they made me sign an NDA. My coworkers were fantastic, incredibly nice people. I was glad to work with them, even as their viewpoints and experiences differed from mine. They were probably the best part of the internship.

I played many roles, and performed various tasks working for the IP. My projects were focused on event production. Some included helping manage their Facebook page and Mixily, where they posted links and information about upcoming events. I also helped write event descriptions, and did information gathering. At one point I even wrote a contract. It was interesting writing a contract- luckily I knew what to include! I also created my own inheritance-based project throughout the summer, but my NDA prevents speaking about projects I worked on at the IP.

Working at the IP was interesting, though at times surprisingly frustrating. I was hired to produce and promote events, which went from one a week, to roughly one a month, subsequently altering my workload. Lax instructions and direction often made tasks confusing. It did however encourage flexibility in my work. I played an integral part in several projects, designing processes, establishing communication, and general management. I cannot disclose specifics because of my NDA.

New technologies I had to use were incredibly complicated, but eventually I learned the new systems. Exposure to new technology, no matter how complicated, infinitely aided in my professional and technical skills. I gained technological expertise that was impossible to get outside the internship.

Working for the IP was something I am unlikely to repeat, but I did learn several things. Always finish the job, have clear direction from the get-go, especially about job responsibilities, and maintain communication when responsibilities and priorities change. Overall, I found it enlightening, heightening my understanding of heritage and its influence on the present. The IP taught me to be proud of where I came from. Working with people from varied worldviews, backgrounds, and skillsets, I helped to create truly unique events and experiences.

My time with IP fostered growth as a person and a professional, making me more knowledgeable about myself and the world.

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