Elon University’s chapter earned a Superior Merit Award for efforts over the past year to build awareness of careers in human resource management while offering professional development opportunities for members.
The largest global professional association and network for human resource professionals has again honored Elon University’s student chapter for excellence in promoting the profession and helping aspiring HR leaders to pursue development opportunities.
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) bestowed a 2022-23 Superior Merit Award on Elon’s SHRM student chapter, marking the seventh consecutive year that the popular student organization in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business has received either a Superior Merit Award or a Merit Award.
The SHRM Student Chapter Merit Award program encourages the development of more effective student chapters and distinguishes outstanding activities and projects. Chapters are recognized based on operations, chapter programming and professional development of members, support of the human resource profession, and SHRM engagement.
SHRM student chapters earn an award based on the number of activities they complete during the merit award cycle, the most recent one of which lasted from May 1, 2022, to April 30, 2023. Elon’s SHRM chapter is advised by Associate Professor Brian Lyons in the Department of Management & Entrepreneurship
Among the Elon chapter’s 2022-2023 activities and achievements that contributed to the latest recognition:
- Met and maintained the minimum affiliation requirement of eight national SHRM student members throughout the year
- Created and implemented a student chapter operating plan
- Implemented a fundraising plan for the chapter
- Published a student chapter newsletter both semesters
- Held four board meetings and organized more than four educational events
- Planned a one-hour human resource management-related event
- Promoted the benefits and value of the SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP®) certification and encouraged student chapter members who are eligible to prepare and sit for the exam
- Educated chapter members on the SHRM Body of Applied Skills and Knowledge® (SHRM BASK®)
“This Superior Merit Award reflects the dedication our chapter has to advancing human resource knowledge at Elon,” said Emma Doherty ’24, a human resource management major from Boston who currently serves as president of Elon’s SHRM student chapter. “Through involvement in SHRM, students are prepared for post-graduate life through continuous professional development opportunities and exposure to a variety of guest speakers and educational events.
“Our executive board is excited to prepare more students to take the SHRM-CP Exam this winter, as well as working towards another successful year of events and engagement opportunities on campus.”
Lyons also praised the 2022-2023 student leadership for raising the chapter’s visibility and meeting the threshold for a Superior Merit Award.
“I’m impressed with how our previous SHRM executive board engaged our students this past academic year,” he said. “They partnered with another student club on a philanthropic activity with the local community and had numerous events involving guest speakers, including alumni of our human resource management program.
“I have no doubt that the current SHRM executive board will build on this success.”