While applying, I connected with dozens of Arcadians from all over the world via Yammer

15 August 2017

Genevieve van der Velden, Global Shapers 2017

Hello! I am a field geologist and work out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Though I have only been involved with Global Shapers for a few weeks, I can already tell this is shaping up to be a great experience!  This program is one of the many reasons why Arcadis is a fantastic company to work for.

When asked why I applied for Global Shapers, the first thing that comes to my mind is advancement! As a person who thrives on change, applying to Global Shapers was a no-brainer, though I knew I was applying for a limited number of spots against some of the most talented and dynamic young professionals across the globe. While hopeful and anxious, I woke up extra early the morning we were scheduled to receive the results. I scrambled to my phone to see an email that exclaimed, “Congratulations; You’re in!” It’s still surreal.

The theme of this year’s application was sustainability, which is something near and dear to my heart.  I knew I had the perfect opportunity to highlight my personality and to focus on how my love for the environment drives me to lead a sustainable lifestyle. I chose to put together a video because I enjoy the challenge of video editing and I could incorporate footage from a recent trip to my favorite place in the world, Grand Teton National Park.

The application process was not only straight-forward but fun! I connected with dozens of Arcadians from all over the world via Yammer, which allowed us to collaborate with each other while working our way through our individual applications.

If you are like me a few months ago and feel hesitant to apply, try anyway! What makes you unique?  What are you passionate about?  Use those qualities to steer your application content and theme. Regardless of whether I was selected this year or not, I knew that I was honest about my interest in the program and wanted to let my personality stand out. If you stay true to who you are, you can’t go wrong! Good luck!

Genevieve’s application

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