Month: December 2021

The Internship Experience and Workplace Culture

Global Dimensions
Interns meeting with their supervisor in a boardroom
Ready to Work

Internships: How to Choose?

Interns are often faced with a difficult decision. Every workplace describes itself as an exciting and dynamic place to work. The challenge in choosing a job or internship is in finding a place that isn’t lying. What does it mean to be exciting and dynamic? How do you tell if an employer’s work culture embodies these qualities? And what does working in an exciting and dynamic environment do for you? 

Working at Global Dimensions

It was my first day of work at Global Dimensions. I participated in a zoom meeting where I was introduced to the Program Managers, or “PMs.” Even through the computer screen, I could feel the community, as people joked around with each other before the meeting began. After I was introduced to the team, the PMs eagerly returned to their regular schedule and set about their day with gusto. Thirty minutes after the end of the first meeting, I had a zoom meeting with the recruiting team. Everyone there was so happy to meet me. I thought they were going to try to sell me something. 

While I had a lot of meetings in my first few weeks, in the six months I have been interning at Global Dimensions, I have worked on countless projects with just about every department in the company. Global Dimensions is a small enough company that they benefit from interns doing important work, but big enough that there is always something interesting and novel to do.

Internships and Company Branding

When every company brands itself the same way, it can be difficult to tell who is telling the truth and who is hiding behind a veil of corporate jargon. One of the best ways to evaluate a potential job is to meet the person offering the job. They are who you’ll be working for. So your job experience is going to be very dependent on their demeanor as a boss. Establishing the genuineness of the people also cements the credibility of the branding message and mission statement.

Joining the Team

At Global Dimensions, the final step in the application process, before I was hired, was an interview with the guy who would become boss. He immediately set the tone of the interview as a friendly conversation that was still respectful and professional. He was extremely open and honest about their hiring process, and he made himself very accessible. 

Since that interview, the work environment at Global Dimensions has been cordial, competent, and considerate. My boss has continued to be genuine and approachable. The company makes it clear that they listen to and care about employee feedback, and everyone does their best to make sure everyone else’s voices are heard.

Getting the Most out of Your Internship Experience

Work is an experience. Like all experiences, the value of work comes from the journey. There are many ways to acquire money, but a job that feels fulfilling can make the other parts of your life better. If you are able to bring the happiness from your job to the rest of your life, you won’t just be improving your life, but the lives of everyone around you as well. There is also some evidence, as explained by Frontiers in Psychology (frontiersin.org), that dynamic workplaces lead to better relationships with your boss.

Conclusion

At Global Dimensions, there is always something exciting happening. People are happy to see you, and you are happy to see them. In effect, you feel listened to, respected, and valued. You are encouraged to offer your opinion and share your ideas. You genuinely feel part of a team. If you are interested in applying for an internship at Global Dimensions, you can find our job postings here on our website and here on Handshake. 

by Ben Forest

Celebrating America in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Global Dimensions
Historic colonial water wheel at Cades Cove
Cades Cove Water Wheel

The Great Smoky Mountains

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is undeniably one of the most cherished National Parks in the United States. According to the National Park Service, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park receives more visitors than any other National Park in the country. And this is a particularly impressive feat considering there are 59 National Parks in the system.

In this picturesque Park you will discover many natural wonders, including sweeping vistas, majestic mountains, crystal-clear waters, and wondrous wildlife. The Park straddles the states of Tennessee and North Carolina in the southeastern United States, and spans more than 800 square miles of natural backdrops that bewilder.

Practicing Patriotism in the Park

Visiting our National Parks is an act of patriotism. And Smoky Mountains National Park is a great place to celebrate our country’s beauty and bounty. Here we can reflect on the country we cherish, while surrounded by one of the great reasons why. As Theodore Roosevelt famously said, “Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children’s children.” Our National Parks are one of our country’s greatest treasures, and, thankfully, one we can pass on from generation to generation.

Smoky mountains bathed in morning mist
Typical foggy mountain morning

A Free-for-All

Significantly, Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the only National Parks that remains completely free to visitors, and we have the State of Tennessee to thank for that. The States of Tennessee and North Carolina cooperatively constructed Newfound Gap Road, which runs through the park. They later donated the road to the federal government to be a part of the National Park. As a stipulation to this donation, Tennessee included a deed requirement that “no toll or license fee shall ever be imposed…” as a way to assure their State’s residents would continue to have access to efficient transportation through the area. Presently, everyone has free admission.

Take the Slow Road

On the downside of free admission, the park tends to be very crowded, especially during peak season. But consider the traffic an opportunity to slow down, enjoy the scenery, and meditate on how amazing it is that we can all share in this breathtaking spectacle together! In this fast-paced world, it’s not every day we can stop and smell the pine trees. Occasionally we need to decompress. Amid the peace of the Park, this is possible.

Historic colonial cabin of John Oliver, from 1822
John Oliver Cabin – 1822

Being Steeped in History

The National Park Service explains here that, “One of the best collections of log buildings in the Eastern United States [is here]. Over 90 historic structures – houses, barns, outbuildings, churches, schools, and grist mills – have been preserved or rehabilitated in the park.” (nps.gov) These charming yet rustic structures give a good glimpse of what life was like in the 1800s in the rural South. Not surprisingly, many of these historic cabins and other buildings in the park are registered with the National Register of Historic Places. When you freely explore them inside and out, you can imagine a life in a distant time.

Woman hiking on a forested hiking trail
Hiking heaven

Hit the Hiking Trails

For the energetically-inclined there are an array of hiking trails available. No matter what your preferred difficulty level, there’s a trail here to suit you. They range from short to long, and from easy to challenging. You can plan ahead, as hiking options are listed on the National Park Service’s Smoky Mountains website here. Once on-site, hiking trail maps are conveniently available at the Welcome Center.

Exploring on foot surrounds you with remarkable waterfalls, streaming creeks, and dense forests hosting an encyclopedic variety of trees, many of which are inaccessible by car. A hike here stimulates all of the senses… The spectacular views of the mountains, soothing sounds of bubbling brooks and trees rustling in the wind, plus the pristine smell of pine… there’s truly a feast for the senses to indulge in here.

Want to commemorate the memories of your hike? For $1 you can purchase a book to log your miles. Those who’ve hiked 100 miles or more can share their mileage booklet with the Visitor Center to receive a mileage pin and be immortalized in their “Hike the Smokies” record book.

Giant black bear
Grin and bear it

Black Bears and Other Wildlife

Observing the fascinating antics of the local wildlife is one of the greatest perks of a visit to Smoky Mountains National Park. The Park is most well-known for its black bear population. When you see a log jam of cars parked illegally along the road and no scenic overlook, you can safely assume it’s a makeshift wildlife viewing stop. And if people are looking up into the trees, your first thought might be that they’re bird-watching. But, instead, they are likely viewing black bears: surprisingly highly capable climbers! The National Park Service suggests on their website here that there are approximately 1,500 black bears who call the Park home. Deer and other wildlife are also abundant in the park. Your next furry friend might be around the next bend…

Joy-Riding

With 384 miles of road, there’s plenty of opportunity to get off the beaten path here. Driving is certainly the most efficient way to explore the many historic buildings in the park and enjoy the scenery in two different states. Yet patience is still advised, however. As the most-visited park in the country, the roads and parking areas can get pretty crowded. So you may not be able to make every stop, or may need to repeat your tracks more than once if you don’t want to miss a thing. Savor every minute of it! Auto tour maps are available at the Park’s information center, to help you navigate your way to all of the historic sites, hiking trails, scenic overlooks, facilities, and more.

Cozy Camping

If your idea of a great night’s sleep is a night under the stars breathing in the pristine, pine-scented air, you may want to consider staying in one of the Park’s campsites. Indeed, a variety of options are available depending on your tolerance level for “roughing it.” For the truly adventurous, there are back-country campsites that can only be reached via hiking several miles. Front-country campsites are accessible by car and offer facilities with modern plumbing. Campsites for groups, and others that are able to accommodate horses, are also available should they better suit your needs.

Conclusion

The Great Smoky Mountains are named for the puffy plumes of mist that float freely among their plentiful peaks. Bask in the mist, and the beauty and vitality of our great nation that this charming Park exemplifies. This Park is free, but the scenery is priceless! To find out more about Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you can visit their official website here. If you want to read more from us, check out our last blog post here.

Author: Heather Anne Longfellow