Prep Talk
Hermits Visit Google’s NYC Headquarters
Posted June 13th, 2017
Accompanied by Mrs. Broomell and Mr. Garufi, our Hermit Genius Bar took a trip to the Big Apple for an exclusive tour of Google’s New York City Headquarters. The web-search giant hosted our wide-eyed students at an office that spans an entire Manhattan city block. During their visit to the massive 8thAvenue building, our young men were exposed to the amenities that greet Google employees on a daily basis.
The company’s success and pristine reputation leads a Hermit to believe that the work environment would match its standards with equal stresses and demands. On the contrary, Google prides itself on getting the job done but only doing so through an emphasis on their employee’s daily experience, as well as their overall well-being and the sustainability of their productivity. In place of cubicles, vending machines and elevators, our young men were delighted to find scooters, pool tables and a ladder chute. In the words of an original Hermit Genius and recent 2017 graduate, Harry McCardell mentioned: “What I liked best about Google was the laid-back nature of upper management. They only require that work gets done and that things get finished. They don’t care how it gets done or what it takes to get there, only that there is some sense of productivity and forward motion of the project. So the whole aspect of the game room, wellness center, cafeterias and kitchens, and the overall flexibility of the management is really unique and something I would like to be apart of one day.
Many lessons were learned but none more than the importance of culture and the strength of a team collaborating and supporting each other towards one goal. (Sound familiar? Hint: Hermit Brotherhood) With that in mind, it is not far-fetched to find parallels between Google and St. Augustine Prep – be it our families, our alumni, or our faculty and staff, the success of our Christian Gentlemen during and after their four years in Richland is always at the forefront. Who knows, the next time a Hermit walks through the doors of Google Headquarters, it may very well be for a big job interview!
Additional takes on the special day for our Hermit Genius Bar:
“I was surprised by the sheer size of the building, one block is huge and the prevalence of free food was my favorite!” – Declan Barrett (’17)
“I did like all of the freedoms the employees have by working through Google. Also, it was interesting to see how work is done there.” – Phil Ritchie (’20)
