Across the country, host employers have been launching a strong summer with well-rounded orientations. Renee Clarke (Senior Account Manager, Host Relations) and Marcus Wright (Placement Services Manager) got to see this firsthand by being special guests at the welcome session for Chicago’s John G Shedd Aquarium! This Summer 2026, Shedd is welcoming participants from eight different countries. The Welcome Session was well-rounded including Directors from Guest Relations [where they are working] Safety & Security and experts from their Talent Acquisition and Human Resources teams.
Warming up for a Special Session!
Sharing a fantastic introduction question “Why you came to Shedd,” fun answers included:
- Tuwadon from Thailand: “I want to meet a lot of people and improve my communication skills.”
- Tenees from Jamaica: “I want to learn about the animals here.”
- Joshua from Jamaica: “I came for the aquatic life and diversification of cultures as it tie with my line of study.”
- Kesandra from Jamaica: “I am fascinated by the ocean, even though I cannot swim.”
- Tennele from Jamaica: “Because I love ocean animals.”
- Mikaylah from Jamaica: “I saw a documentary on TV when smaller, where I believe it was the Shedd Aquarium featured. I was always fascinated and it is in Chicago!”
As a fun treat, even the staff at the Shedd and Greenheart shared the “why” they chose where they worked. Special reflections shared overlapping sincere sentiments around their childhood experiences growing up in the area such as field trips or the world-class reputation of the Aquarium.
In their very first few hours of being the employee at the Shedd, the international participants tapped into the curiosity they will soon be sharing with the 2.2 million each year, the bulk of which are in the summer.
What do you hope to learn while you are here?
After learning some great information, safety tips and 101 on work life in the US, including benefits all employees at this employer received, the conversation turned inward. Some of the responses included the following:
Mikaylah from Jamaica: “I want to learn about the fish and their environment and how they contribute to the ecosystem.”
Tuwadon: “As an agent as an Asian, I do not have the opportunity to speak English very often. I want to build skills and confidence.
Tennele from Jamaica: “I want to learn how the fish here have gotten so big! I love the aquatic life and learn as much as possible.”
Joshua from Jamaica: “I want to learn organizational operations here. I also want to work on my interpersonal skills and build on my communication skills.”
It is now Greenheart’s plan to follow-up with these participants to see if they reached these goals.
The role of Greenheart’s Visit
Greenheart was onsite to refresh and highlight some of the important details each the participants were already exposed to during their pre-departure orientations back in their countries. It’s rare that, as staff, we get opportunities to participate in the arrival experience of new participants. It was great to see their excitement for the program as well as the warmth and support that the Shedd offers the participants. It feels good to know the participants are set up for such a strong start to the season.
Thank you, Renee, for such a positive update on GGHTs! We also thank and appreciate our host organizations for hosting our Summer Work and Travel participants and offering them incredible opportunities for cultural enrichment and growth.
If you are a business who would like to host international seasonal staff for a cultural exchange, please visit HirewithGreenheart.org to learn more.
To learn more about Greenheart’s Work and Travel program visit GreenheartExchange.org.