Andrew Gonczarow ’22 — This summer, I had the opportunity to intern with the Crawfordsville | Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce as a part of the Wabash Public Policy Project (WPPP). It was an incredible experience to intern with a nonprofit organization this summer. I want to thank Wabash College for the opportunity, as none of these insightful experiences could have happened without the funding from the WPPP. I would also like to thank Executive Director Cassie Hagan and Assistant Director Casey Hockersmith for making me feel welcomed in the office from day one.
During my internship, I utilized and learning customer relationship management (CRM) software, member clicks. I reached out to certain people in our network, as well as update databases and conduct reports. Being able to learn how to use a CRM will be very beneficial in my future career. I enjoyed networking with professionals all around Montgomery County. In addition to that, I met new people within my community to see how these companies run and identify where the Chamber could help the businesses out.
My internship also enhanced my sales and interpersonal skills. For example, I went to businesses around the community that were members of the Chamber to sell them sponsorships and tickets to the annual Golf Scramble. Countless days my colleague and I would drive around Montgomery County, going from business to business to receive commitments. In managing the Golf Scramble, I learned a lot about adapting and that even with a good plan, there will always be more work.
Once more, I would like to thank Wabash College and the WPPP for allowing me to have these wonderful experiences, as this summer was crucial to my educational, personal, and professional growth.
