Skip to main content
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Search

Full Article

Visit Apply Give

UNL Society for Human Resource Management Earns National Merit Award

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln student chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has received a 2015-16 Merit Award designation from the national SHRM organization. The award recognizes the chapter for providing superior growth and development opportunities to its members.
 
“It’s a good recognition for the group,” said Dr. Gwendolyn M. Combs, associate professor of management and SHRM advisor. “The officers are to be congratulated for their hard work. They and the members really paid particular attention to the requirements for the award in the things they planned.”
 
A part of the UNL College of Business Administration, the chapter was one of 163 institutions from across the United States to earn the merit award. SHRM student chapters can earn eligibility for the award based on the number of activities they complete during the merit award cycle, which lasted from April 1, 2015, to March 31, 2016.
 
Combs with students at CBA
Combs with students at CBA
“Winning this award proves our small but mighty group succeeded in making our UNL chapter more informed in a human resource mindset,” said graduate Kaitlyn Dodge, a Quechee, Vermont native and chapter president during the award time period. “We plan to continue to grow our group on campus and to gain more notice in the national SHRM group.”
 
The UNL SHRM chapter hosted more than 12 meetings during the 2015-16 school year at which human resource professionals from several industries spoke to the group. The chapter also toured Assurity Life Center, and in early April a few students attended the two-day SHRM Student Summit and case competitions in Omaha, Nebraska.
 
Alex Haggard is a junior management major from Ogallala, Nebraska, who was an officer for the group last year. This year he is the incoming chapter president and said the group wants to continue to grow while scheduling more company tours during the upcoming year, attending the SHRM Nebraska State Conference in August and possibly putting together a team to compete in the SHRM Student Summit and case competitions.
 
“I think the award means a lot to this chapter and its members. As a first-year leader, I was surprised at the amount of effort it took to put on our events,” he said. “We spent a lot of time contacting speakers, complying with SHRM and UNL guidelines, etc. This was a nice way to reassure our leaders that the work done was recognized.”
 
Open to all students on campus, the UNL student chapter of SHRM provides opportunities to learn more about the HR field, network with HR professionals, become familiar with goals and the experience of HR club members and participate in conferences and competitions.
 
The SHRM student chapter merit award program was created to encourage student chapters to require ongoing excellence in the following areas: student chapter requirements, chapter operations, chapter programming and professional development of members, support of the human resource profession and SHRM engagement.
 
“I was thrilled to hear we had won the award. It really gives our chapter a good reputation and some momentum headed into the upcoming academic year,” Haggard said. “We are hoping to take that momentum and turn our Merit status into a Superior Merit or Outstanding Chapter Award in 2017.”
 
SHRM is the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management. Representing more than 285,000 professional and 20,000 student members in more than 160 countries, the association serves the needs of HR professionals and advances the interests of the HR profession.
 
For more information contact Combs at 402-472-6061 or gcombs2@unl.edu.

Published: July 20, 2016