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Poole College’s SHRM chapter starts year with strengths identified, goals set

The NC State chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is holding its first meeting of the semester on September 17, 2013, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in Nelson Room 1140. 

The SHRM officers, though, have done a bit of homework prior to this initial chapter meeting. Working with a human resources professional, they have spent the past month identifying their strengths and then setting goals for the year.

Photo of NC State SHRM board members completing exercise to ID their strengths

At a board meeting on August 20, 2013, the SHRM officers met with guest speaker Stephanie Kelber, a senior consultant in NC State’s HR Training and Organizational Development department. She helped the SHRM members identify their strengths using a method typically found in business and industry: through a strengths finder session. This exercise was based on a book titled StrengthsFinder 2.0 by author Tom Rath.

"Rachel and Will, the SHRM co- presidents, really wanted to begin the year with a chance for the team to learn about themselves as individuals and as a collective team," said Beth Ritter, lecturer in human resources at Poole College and advisor of the SHRM chapter. "The strengths finder session was a perfect way to do that and the leaders now each have a tool for future teams and work," she said. 

Each SHRM members answered a series of questions, receiving his or her top five strengths. The board members then shared their strengths with each other during the meeting and learned how to use all of their individual strengths to contribute to the organization as a whole.

Kelber then helped the members identify the SHRM chapter’s top five strengths, which are:

  • Includer
  • Harmony
  • Futuristic
  • Developer, and
  • Communication

Knowing this information, the officer said, enabled them to better prepare for planning their events and for working together to achieve their goals for the year.

SHRM's 2013-14 goals

Among the chapter's goals for the year are:

  • Improving communication internally within the group and externally to others
  • Developing, increasing, and diversifying membership; and
  • Maintaining professional connections. 

SHRM encourages students who may be interested in learning more about the organization or joining to contact Rachel Mastro, SHRM president. Additional information about SHRM is on the organization’s website. Also, read about the SHRM chapter's merit award received this summer for its activities in the 2012-13 academic year.

SHRM board members for 2013-14

Officers of the NC State chaper of SHRM are, in order of their position in the photo:

SHRM 2013-14 officers

  • Rachel Mastro is the board’s president for the fall semester. She is a senior at NC State from Concord, NC majoring in psychology and business administration with an HR concentration.
  • Will Bowman will be the board’s resident for the spring semester. He is also a senior at NC State from Ellicott City, Maryland. He is majoring in business administration with an HR concentration and a minor in outdoor leadership.
  • Alyssa Williams-Sinn is the vice president of finance and is from Cary, NC. She is a senior at NC State and is majoring in international relations and marketing. She is also getting a minor in French.
  • Jeff Dean is the vice president of publicity and is from Raleigh, NC. He is a senior at NC State and is majoring in communications and business administration with an HR concentration.
  • Kaley Baughman is the Poole College of Management liaison, and is also a senior at NC State. She is from Charlotte, NC, and is majoring in business administration with an HR concentration. She is getting a minor in psychology
  • Andrew Cutchin is the vice president of membership and is a senior at NC State. He is from Chapel Hill, NC, and is majoring in business administration with an HR concentration and a minor in French and psychology.
  • Leigh Smith is the vice president of administration and is a senior at NC State. She is from Deep Run, NC and is majoring in business administration with an HR concentration.
  • Kelson Crocker is the vice president of programs and events, and is from Kenly, NC. He is also spending his senior year at NC State completing his major in business administration with an HR concentration.
  • Madison Anderson is the vice president of professional development, and is from Fuquay-Varina, NC. She is a senior at NC State majoring in business administration with a double concentration in HR and Marketing.

About the resources used

Photos show the SHRM team working through their StrengthsFinder session in one of the NC State Hunt Library's meeting rooms. Read about the library's meeting and student activity spaces,

Read about StrengthsFinder 2.0