Author Archives: aaronpevitz

Caught in the Experience

As the summer internship comes to a close, I want to reflect on the experience I had at Indiana Humanities, a statewide non-profit that encourages Hoosiers to think, read, and talk. Over the past couple of weeks, I was fortunate to work big events and go to places that no other internship can offer.

My co-intern Julia and I paddling on the White River.

The Next Indiana Campfires Series is a program unique to Indiana Humanities. This program combines treks into nature with literature and campfire discussions. The series won the Helen and Martin Schwartz Prize for Public Humanities Program in 2017, a national award given to the best humanities program in the nation. I was able to take a canoe trip down the White River while engaging in a conversation about literature. My co-intern, Julia, and I shared a canoe for the trip, and it was a bonding experience. I never thought that a four-hour canoe trip would change a relationship, but let me tell you, it definitely does.

One experience that specifically that brought us closer was having to work together when we got stuck between a couple logs and stopped moving. The river was very low, so not only were we stuck, but the boat kept dragging across the bottom of the river, making it hard to paddle out. Of course, with our luck, at the same time, it started to pour. At that point, we both looked at each other, decided to take a breath, and worked on getting out of the mess we were in. A few minutes later we were able to get free. About a half mile down the river we met up with the rest of the participants who were on a sandbank under trees trying to stay dry. Soaked through, we paddled up and joined them until the rain stopped.

As part of the program, participants gather to discuss the connections between nature, literature, and place. Kevin McKelvey, a University of Indianapolis professor, led our discussion. He read poems, short stories, and excerpts about nature in Indiana, and asked us to reflect on what we thought of the readings. Many points were brought up about how the White River is impacted by the current political climate both in the state and in the nation. Not only was it a wonderful (and wet) experience, I learned a lot about the White River and how the environment around the river impacts so many people.

The lake house pool with Hamilton lake behind it.

With Indiana Humanities, I was able to participate in the staff retreat. We stayed at the President/CEO’s lake house on Hamilton Lake in Hamilton, Indiana. During the three-day retreat, the staff discussed the successes and improvements of the current theme, Quantum Leap, which connects the STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) field to the humanities; the next theme and its programming; grant application changes; the strategic plan for the next couple of years; and a discussion on the book titled The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks written by Rebecca Skloot.

 

The Indiana Humanities staff during the book discussion.

I found that the discussion of the book was one of the more entertaining parts of the weekend because we engaged in a deep, thoughtful conversation. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is about Henrietta’s cancer diagnosis and how her stolen immortal cells, now referred to as HeLa cells, helped start a scientific and medicinal discovery period. Taken without Henrietta’s consent, her cancerous cells were used for testing that led to discoveries in polio vaccines and how many chromosomes people have. It also helped scientists learn more about the AIDS virus and leukemia. The book follows the Lacks family – how they struggled to overcome poverty, to accept the fact that Henrietta’s cells have outlived Henrietta, and how the family has not been compensated for the advancements her cells have brought to the field of medicine. We engaged in conversation about whether life can, or should, have a patent on it, if the Lacks family should be paid, and if Skloot was using her white privilege to share this story of the Lacks family.

 

 

The Indiana Humanities staff hanging out on Hamilton Lake.

The staff retreat offered me the opportunity to get to know my coworkers outside of the workplace. We played Mafia (the card game) and hung out by the pool. We went paddleboarding and kayaking out on the lake. It was nice to be away from downtown Indianapolis and enjoy time together on a boat just to hang out.

I only have one week left here at Indiana Humanities, and I’m going to make the most of it. The connections I have made with the staff and other interns are strong and I know that I will be in contact with them as I grow in my profession. Thank you, Indiana Humanities, for the wonderful summer that I have experienced here.

They Always Say Congratulations

Indiana has never been a state that I have found very appealing. Although yes, I go to school in Indiana, northwest Indiana and the area around Valparaiso University has a very different feel than the rest of Indiana. The rest of the state sees what they know as “The Region” as a suburb of Chicago more so than part of the rest of the state.

When I got placed in Indianapolis, I was skeptical, although it seemed everyone else was excited for me and kept “saying congratulations.” I didn’t know what to expect because I’ve only been to Indianapolis one time prior to the internship. I didn’t know what there was to do around the area or how the people are. During my interview with my placement here in Indy, my now supervisor, Kristen Fuhs Wells, vice president of Indiana Humanities, asked me what my thoughts on Indiana were. I responded saying, “I have my opinions,” but I went on to explain that I hear all the stereotypes about Indiana, but couldn’t judge for myself since I haven’t seen to the rest of the state yet.

From the Indiana Humanities intern photoshoot outside of the office.

Turns out you should not make assumptions about a state, even if the stereotypes are true. I have been in Indianapolis for the past two weeks and have had the most fantastic experience, both inside and outside of my internship placement. I am placed at Indiana Humanities, a statewide non-profit that whose mission is to “connect people, open minds and enrich lives by creating and facilitating programs that encourage Hoosiers to think, read and talk.”

Over the past two weeks at Indiana Humanities, my focus has been on research and alumni engagement of the Lilly Scholars in Indiana. For those of you who don’t know, Lilly Endowment Inc. hands out a scholarship to a couple graduating high school students in each of the ninety-two counties in Indiana and provides them free tuition to either a private or public university in Indiana. Indiana Humanities received a large grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc. to run the research on the Lilly Scholars. I specifically have been looking at other mentorship and leadership programs across the country and seeing what they do to engage alumni, and have been using that information to help begin to create a Lilly Scholar alumni network.

The Indiana Humanities staff having fun bonding at the Indy Eleven soccer game at Lucas Oil Stadium.

With Indiana Humanities, we also have taken an outing to the Indy Eleven game at Lucas Oil Statidum which was a great bonding time for the entire staff. As well, we threw a “Garden Party” to help show off the new renovations of the house and had plenty of visitors. In addition, through the internship I got the opportunity to attend the Indiana Philanthropy Alliance (IPA) Conference just outside of the city and got a chance to meet with numerous staff from Community Foundations (those that help choose the students the Lilly Scholarship goes to) across the state to see what ways they are engaging alumni and what ways they would like to see more engagement. Also, in a few weeks, we are going to have our annual Bar Crawl around Indianapolis. This year, the theme is “Out in Indy” and this historic bar crawl through the city will explore stories of Indianapolis’s LGBTQ community at five different locations. Next month, I am going to help facilitate an event by Indiana Humanities and the Hoosier Environmental Council where we go kayaking on the White River and read while hiking and kayaking in the area which I’m very excited about. 

From the walk at Eagle Creek Park.

Although, for the past week, work hasn’t been the only thing I have done. I was off Monday, June 4th, and decided to take a long hike through Eagle Creek Park, only a twenty-minute drive outside of Indianapolis. The walk was about seven miles, but it was a beautiful path with a lot of beautiful plants and animals. Along with that, the other CAPS Fellows in Indy and I actually try to go on walks almost every other day, just so we can go out and explore the city. It has been a blast getting to know them and I really look forward to the rest of the summer with them.

 

From the Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn at White River State Park where Post Malone performed.

Lastly, I got the chance to go to a Post Malone concert on Wednesday, June 6th. Another CAPS Fellow who was placed in Indy and I actually got FREE tickets to the concert. One of Post Malone’s friends from backstage came up to us and handed us tickets to the concert (just to let you know, the tickets were priced at $250 – $300 dollars). It was such a fantastic night and got to see the artist who is known for his hit song “Congratulations,” where the title of this blog comes from.

Though it’s only been two weeks, I think the next eight are going to be a wonderful time and I will now forever be grateful to Indy for the opportunities I’ve already had here.