At some point in life, everyone has experienced being in a new situation in which they were the “newbie”. In The Circle, Mae takes on a new job at the company, making her a “newbie’ in the sense that she must learn the characteristics of the company, their ideals, and how she plays a role as a Circler. Additionally, I have taken on a role as being a Penn Stater, a situation in which the values, expectations, and ideals of the university must be taken into account as I find my role in the large community of Penn State. Through analysis of The Circle and my experience at Penn State University, parallels can be drawn between the values of Penn Staters and Circlers and the ways these societies play a role in the development of a “newbie” and their integration into their respective communities.

Through evaluation of the values of Penn Staters and Circlers, there are similarities between these groups in terms of diversity, community, and the acquisition of knowledge. Given Penn State’s large size, there is a diverse group of people in the community. These diverse backgrounds are accepted and encouraged in order to broaden the scope of ideas spread among students. Additionally, Circlers value this ideal, given that the people Mae describe in her first interactions with the company are all different. A range of people with different skills work at the Circle and add value to the company. When Mae first stands to show that she is a “newbie”, the author draws attention to the fact that there is a range of national origins that are also “newbies”. Penn State also has a strong sense of pride and support, felt by the entire community. This sense of community is felt through involvement and support for other groups and organizations. The Circle shares this value, best shown through their support of “newbies” like Mae and support for other Circlers like Eamon Bailey, who gives a talk on his idea called “SurfSight”. Furthermore, Penn State prides itself as a nationally ranked academic institute, providing students with a quality education, encouragement of critical thinking, and desire to achieve. At the Circle, Mae’s position encourages her to get approval ratings with a score of 100, showing the desire for top level performance. The Circle is known for its creative thinking, innovative concepts, and willingness to find the very best for the people in the community. Through these similar ideals of these large groups, Penn Staters can relate to Circlers, their experience of a large environment, and the expectation to fulfill their important values in each society.