Kiana Morse, March 20th, 2018
We’ve passed the mark of 100 days since the 2017 Global Shapers F2F program. All Shapers have settled back in to their home offices, and workloads have long since ramped up to normal activity. The excitement of being surrounded by 99 other young and enthusiastic Arcadians has faded. It’s easy to feel like the entire experience was nothing but a distant memory. But – we are all still Global Shapers. What exactly does the aftermath – the so called, ripple effect – look like?
I was able to share my personal experience with other coworkers in the Syracuse, New York office. This included discussing the Sustainability Platform prototype Spot On. It was exciting to see the enthusiasm and interest coworkers had with this idea. Many people instantly recognized the benefit of having one centralized database to share ideas and tools that will ultimately provide more advanced products to our clients. As a Shaper, I am able to bridge the gap between the Arcadians in Europe who developed this tool and the Arcadians in my very own office who plan to use it. As the prototype is finalized in the coming months, I will keep interested parties updated, and will be able to explain the benefits of using the tool.
Upon my return from the F2F program, I also joined both the Sustainability and the Stormwater Community of Practice (CoP) after hearing about these groups from a fellow Shaper. I have already made connections with individuals across the country who work on similar projects as I do. Involvement with these CoPs is a great way to stay engaged with the company’s activities relevant to my line of work.
Perhaps the largest benefit of Global Shapers is that the connections we made never fade. We all now have this framework of global connections that can and will help us with any future endeavor within the company. I am glad to say that I am and will always be a Global Shaper.
