College’s Human Resource Management Club Completes Busy Year

NC State has had a SHRM student chapter since before there was a College of Management at the university. “The organization has been in existence for over two decades,” said Carol Nguyen, a SHRM member who graduated with an MBA degree in May 2009.

“The chapter currently has over 80 members,” she said. The membership includes students beyond those pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in business management with a human resources concentration. “Our growth in active membership has increased from five to 50 over the course of one year,” she said. “This increased can be credited to our advisor, Clint Davidson, who has guided and mentored the students to appreciate HR management as it pertains to any industry.” Davidson is on the faculty in the college’s Department of Management, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

The NC State SHRM chapter had two teams of three students each competing in the state and regional HR Games competitions. State competitions were held in Greensboro, N.C., at North Carolina A&T University. We advanced to regionals in Richmond, Va., where we competed against 27 teams from across the Southeast,” Nguyen said.

Davidson and Nguyen coached the student team members. On Team Wolf were Devon Punter, Mandy Howard and Delana Parker. On Team Pack were Jennipher Williford, Madison Gray and Hannah Mozeley.

“The teams began preparation for the games in February, and met up to three times each week for one-hour study sessions,” Nguyen said. “The ‘HR Games’ competition is sponsored by the Society for Human Resource Management and is used as a tool to help students prepare for the Professional in Human Resources certification exam. The student chapter awarded five scholarships to students to help with the cost of the certification exam. Receiving scholarships this past year were Madison Gray, senior; Delana Parker, senior; Mandy (Amanda) Howard, senior; and Nguyen. Parker and Howard also graduated in May 2009.

Nguyen also received a $500 Student Scholarship from the Raleigh-Wake HR Management professional SHRM chapter. The scholarships are awarded based on academic merit, social and civic activities, student chapter achievements and promotion of the HR profession.

In the course of the academic year, the student SHRM chapter held two resume reviews that were open to all students. On Nov. 19, 2008, the student chapter hosted 15 local human resources professionals. More than 50 students took advantage of the opportunity to have their resumes reviewed and to receive recommendations. A second resume review was held on March 25, as part of the NC State SHRM chapter’s general body meeting, for SHRM members only.

“This was a benefit that our members,” Nguyen said. The event included a formal presentation on resume frameworks by Lori Mayette, an NC State College of Management alumna and Professional Chapter College Relations chairman. The professional chapter members then reviewed and commented on the student resumes

Members also participated in a group site visits to area companies. The first was to the SAS campus in the Research Triangle Park, attended by 15 student chapter members. “The visit was very informative and engaged chapter members in conversation with experienced professionals,” Nguyen said. “Question and answer sessions provided insight on SAS’s work environment, business strategy and the company’s long term success. Most importantly, members were able to expand their professional network and obtain valuable information to help them with future career choices and opportunities.”