SHRM Student Chapters in Alabama
The Society for Human Resource Management (“SHRM”) goes many extra miles and beyond the call of duty to assume and fulfill its role as the primary advancer of HR interests. This is no more than should be expected of the world’s biggest Human Resources professional organization. Tangible evidence of its extensive efforts to exploit all means to many laudable ends is a 242,811-copy print circulation of its monthly publication “HR Magazine.” Even more overwhelmingly persuasive proofs are the monthly volumes of 530,000 unique visits and 8,600,000 page views on its official website.
Considering this colossal presence and high visibility, it comes as no surprise that SHRM has been featured in numerous major news media mogul and scholarly publications. Perhaps the best and most venerable of all SHRM campaigns to convey its message is its Student Program.
Since the 1965 charter of its first chapter, the SHRM Student Program has undergone astronomical growth to its current roster of more than 450 chapters with a cumulative membership of over 15,000 students. Below is a descriptive listing of Alabama SHRM Student Chapters.
Athens State University (“ASU”)
ASU’s College of Business offers a bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management. Its self-stated program objective is preparing students for a broad range of occupational scenarios within HRM landscapes and an educational base for advanced graduate studies. One-half of its 124-credit curriculum’s coursework requirements consist of specialized HR-related classes.
ASU’s College of Business SHRM Student Chapter official website boasts many benefits that membership brings. Eligibility for attendance at sponsoring Tennessee Valley Professional SHRM Chapter meetings is one. Per Student Chapter administration, contacts made through networking thereby have resulted in an overall rate of 60 to 70 percent of employment search success.
Gaining membership in this Student Chapter is a two-step process where applicants must submit separate application forms to SHRM, accompanied by a $35 fee and to ASU Student Chapter, along with a $15 fee.
Contact
Dr. Kim LaFevor
E-mail: Kim.LaFevor@athens.edu.
http://www.athens.edu/college_business/SHRM/
Auburn University – Auburn Campus (“AUA”)
The Raymond J. Harbert College of Business, Department of Management, SHRM Student Chapter (“AUSHRM”) official website lists ambitious 14 Chapter Goals. Among others, these include:
- Conducting at least 11 chapter meetings per year
- Organizing at least one community service project per academic semester
- Supporting HRM Internships via: 1) frequently updated website and newsletter listings; 2) being a liaison between members and Management Department administration; 3) functioning as an HRM Internship coordinator; and; 4) encouragement of outside speakers to announce employment and internship opportunities.
- Organizing and attending one company visit per academic year
- Hosting a minimum of five HRCI exam member sites within each academic year
A downloadable electronic newsletter, relevant news reports, and other useful content are available on the AUSHRM official website as well.
Contact
Organization Email: cobshrm@gmail.com
http://www.auburn.edu/shrm/
East Carolina University (“ECU”)
The newest chapter on our list, the ECU SHRM Student Chapter portends as a valuable ally and zealous advocate of its parental organization’s overriding objective of promoting professional HR interests. The ECUSHRM LinkedIn profile page states a primary chapter focus on facilitating student professional networking efforts and accepting tutelage from HR professionals who help their future colleagues succeed.
ECUSHRM sponsors a speakership program wherein local business leaders keep member HRM aspirants informed of the latest status of ever-evolving professional and business Best Practices standards. Non-HR students at ECU are welcomed with equally open arms as are undergrad HR majors.
Contact
www.linkedin.com/pub/shrm-ecu/69/697/178
Jacksonville State University (“JSU”)
Established in 2008, the JSU SHRM Student Chapter (“JSUSHRM”) has a self-stated creational purpose of fostering interactions of mutual benefit to HRM students and professionals. JSUSHRM strives toward that end through multiple means. These include monthly meetings that include pre-scheduled activities such as engaging local business speakers who relate the current state of relevant business developments and provide expert projections of their future impact on HR.
Besides monthly meetings, JSUSHRM organizes various community activities like tour accompaniments, resume writing seminars, internships, social events, and fundraising projects. JSUSHRM has the stated underlying rationale that participation in such activities builds member students’ HR knowledge bases and networking skills. Annual JSUSHRM Student Membership dues are $35.00.
Contact
E-mail: jaxstate.shrm@gmail.com
http://jaxstate-shrm.webs.com/
Strayer University Birmingham (“SUB”)
The Master of Science in Human Resource Management (“MSHRM”) program at Strayer University Birmingham is offered both online and on campus and is a fully accredited graduate degree program. SHRM student chapter #5660 helps MSHRM stduents achieve the following stated learning objectives:
- Gaining knowledge of managerial and HR best practices and their respective impacts on individuals and organizations.
- Comprehending the formulation and management of HR policy and practices in alignment with larger organizational objectives
- Cultivating analytical and critical thinking for competent research and quantitative HR performance analyses
- Developing motivational leadership skills to promote organizational evolution and expansion
- Refining application of ethical decision making to diverse HR scenarios
- Fostering member familiarity with the growing complexity and power of technologies designed to automate HR projection and performance empirical analyses
- Strengthening communications skills essential to effective information exchange, persuasion, and conflict resolution
- Developing a strategic approach to policies and practices to instill diversity appreciation
MSHRM students may choose between a Generalist and Organizational Management concentration. Both are 54-credit graduate degree programs consisting of 40.5 “core” credits and 13.5 concentration-credits. Core credits are identical and both programs are available in an online-only format. To find out more information about the SHRM student chapter at SUB, follow the link below.
Contact
http://www.strayer.edu/degree/masters/human-resources/courses#sthash.inZZ2Dm3.dpuf
Troy University – Dothan (“TSUD”)
SHRM Student Chapter #5110 helps graduate students at Troy University-Dothan in their Masters level studies. Stated purposes of TSUD’s Sorrell College of Business, Master of Science in Human Resource Management (“MSHRM”) program are proficiency in HR-related: 1) contemporary skills; 2) managerial concepts; and, 3) activities. In so doing, MSHRM places a special emphasis on application to the execution and development of HRM supportive systems for strategic organizational objectives.
MSHRM’s main learning objective is improvement of the application to problem-solving skills pertaining to HR management systems within a context of alignment with strategic organizational objectives. Verbal and written communications skills efficiency for optimal conveyance of analytical research results and recommendations are its major secondary academic aims.
This 30-credit graduate HRM program is research disoriented in order to require student comprehension of accepted standards of professional HR practices. This focus is designed to facilitate the gain of greater assimilation of applicable substantive content to maximize the occupational opportunities of graduate HRM students. Although research disoriented, the curriculum requires students to get a full grasp of accepted HRM professional standards for optimal occupational options.
Contact
David J. Hoover, Ph.D., SPHR
(334) 832-7296
djhoover@troy.edu
Ron Portis
(334) 241-5456
rportis@troy.edu
Troy State University – Montgomery (“TSUM”)
The SHRM Student Chapter at TSUM (“Tm SHRM”) has a self-stated purpose of providing students with opportunities to glean insights and gain greater knowledge of effective HRM personnel management principles. Its primary means of fulfilling this role is via maintaining close affiliations with the Montgomery, Alabama SHRM Professional Chapter and the international HRM organization.
A secondary Tm SHRM organizational objective is promoting the interjection of practical knowledge into its members’ educational experience. It strives toward that ancillary aim by encouraging established businesspeople to participate in Tm SHRM Open Forums designed to facilitate ideological interchanges between faculty, students, and invited guests. Tm SHRM even planners and executive members make every effort to foster an ambiance of mutual support and respect among all attendees at these special functions.
Contact
Dr. David Hoover
djhoover@troy.edu
Telephone: (334) 832-7296
http://www.shrm.org/about/foundation/hrdegreeprograms/graduate/Documents/troy-montgomery.pdf
University of Alabama – Birmingham (“UAB”)
At UAB, the SHRM Student Chapter has several self-stated primary purposes that include:
• Acquainting Business majors with the HR profession and general management
• Keeping students informed of the latest HRM developments
• Providing abundant opportunities for students to learn via interactions with HR professionals
• Supporting the personal and educational development of future HRM professionals
• Encouraging scrupulous adherence to the SHRM Code of Ethics
Membership is open to all UAB students and the Chapter hosts regular workshops designed to disseminate valuable insights into various aspects of HR by guest speakers and provide networking opportunities for its members. Other semester events include various fundraising and volunteer-staffed community service initiatives.
Contact
Scott Boyar, Ph.D.
Telephone: (205) 975-5490
slboyar@uab.edu
http://www.business.uab.edu/sshrm/
University of Alabama – Huntsville (“UAH”)
The SHRM Student Chapter at UAH hosts monthly meetings and maintains numerous specialized sub-committees established to facilitate a variety of organizational activities and goals that include:
• Workforce Readiness
• Student Chapter Relations
• Website Administration
• Certification
• Community Relations and Education
• Diversity
• Legislative
• SHRM Foundation
Besides the above activities that the above listed respective subcommittee titles denote, the SHRM Student Chapter at UAM holds monthly on-campus meetings and participates actively in meetings by its sponsoring North Alabama SHRM Professional Chapter.
Contact
Brandon Umphrey
Director, Student Chapter Relations
E-Mail: nashrm.directorstudentrelations@gmail.com
http://webtest.uah.edu/cba/student-organizations/58-main/business-administration/1496-cbashrm
University of North Alabama (“UNA”)
The UNA SHRM Student Chapter (“UNA SHRM”) has the primary self-stated purpose of providing HRM students with amble opportunities for professional development, networking, and research activities relevant to their professional ambitions. UNA SHRM’s organizational sponsor is the Shoals Area SHRM Professional Chapter. UNA SHRM welcomes all students enrolled at UNA as members irrespective of major or specific UNA college academic affiliation.
An example of the UNA SHRM efforts to fulfill its overriding objective set forth above is its recent hosting of a round-table with invited guest Gary Rosenberg, President and CEO of Insight Productivity Solutions who shared his professional expertise gained through extensive practical experience. Rosenberg’s firm supplies customized suites of IT solutions, expert services, and products geared toward facilitating all aspects of personnel management.
Contact
Jeremy Stafford, Ph.D., Chapter Advisor
E-Mail: jostafford@una.edu
Courtney Hill, Chapter President
E-Mail: Cmhill2@una.edu
http://www.unashrm.org/
University of South Alabama (“USA”)
Via its page on the USA Mitchell College of Business official website, the USA SHRM Student Chapter expresses the following organizational objectives:
• Provide USA students with opportunities to gain insight and broaden knowledge of strategic and effective human capital management in the HRM field
• Promote sharing of work-related experience and expertise by business professionals via USA SHRM Open Forums and other informational interchange media
• Encourage HRM career acquisition, growth, and advancement via camaraderie and mutual support among USA SHRM members
• Encourage member attendance at activities and meetings hosted by its Mobile SHRM Professional Chapter sponsoring organization
• Provide a pool of qualified HRM professional leaders to perpetuate the aims of Mobile SHRM and the international SHRM organization
• Provide a promotional conduit of HRM to students
• Generate new SHRM members
• Act as a communications channel and liaison between its members and SHRM
UNA SHRM is apparently doing an admirable job of meeting all the above goals. The Student Chapter received an SHRM 2011-2012 Merit Award designation for outstanding HRM-related activity participation and event hosting.
Contact
Jacquelyn Burt, Chapter President
jmw807@jagmail.southalabama.edu
Dr. Marjorie Icenogle, Faculty Adviser
micenogle@southalabama.edu
http://mcob.southalabama.edu/shrm.html
Conclusion
When it comes to HRM Student Chapters, a once-popular TV commercial slogan, “Membership has its privileges,” holds especially true. SHRM-affiliated Student Chapter members have access to many invaluable resources that would be otherwise inaccessible by these future HRM professionals.
This accessibility reflects SHRM’s commitment to instill the highest levels of professionalism and competence in those who aspire to oversee the most valuable, non-duplicable, and thus priceless assets of any business organization: The human beings who ensure its continued existence and prosperity by keeping its wheels turning and lights burning.
