UCSB HR Student Association Receives Distinguished Award
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in Alexandria, VA, has conferred the 2010-2011 Superior Merit Award designation to the University of California, Santa Barbara UCSB HR Student Association (#5614) for an exceptional job of providing opportunities for growth and development to its student chapter members.
SHRM is the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management. Representing more than 250,000 professional and student members in over 140 countries, the Society serves the needs of HR professionals and advances the interests of the HR profession. Founded in 1948, SHRM has more than 575 affiliated professional chapters and more than 450 student chapters within the United States as well as subsidiary offices in China and India.
“SHRM is pleased to announce our 2010-2011 Superior Merit and Merit Student Chapters. These chapters worked extremely hard this year. Their efforts to provide networking and educational programming to human resources students and to increase their exposure to the field of HR are evidence of their desire to achieve,” said Chuck Salvetti, SHRM’s Student and Young Professional Programs Manager.
Santa Barbara’s local professional chapter, Santa Barbara Human Resources Association (SBHRA), has been a key support to area Human Resources Professionals in creating education, resource support and networking to its members, and is very excited to celebrate the Student Chapter’s great achievement in winning the Superior Merit Award. The 2011 President of SBHRA, Margot Dement, commented, “This motivated group has expanded their learning and tools on their own time, motivated to create a learning structure to match that of other Universities throughout California that provide Human Resources as part of their regular curriculum. It is this kind of dedication to the Human Resources profession that inspires and produces top talent for our community. SBHRA is so very proud and honored to support this team of future leaders in the field.”
A record 138 SHRM-affiliated student chapters participated in this year’s national merit award program. Chapters have the opportunity to earn an award based on the number of activities they complete during the merit award cycle, which ran from April 1, 2010, to March 31, 2011. For the 2010-2011 Merit Award period, 109 chapters received a Superior Merit Award designation, 17 chapters achieved Merit Award status, and 12 chapters received the Honorable Mention designation.
The SHRM student chapter merit award program, which began in 1972, exists to develop more effective student chapters, and to promote outstanding activities and projects by student chapters in four areas: basic student chapter requirements, chapter programming and professional development of members, support of the human resource profession, and partnership with SHRM.
The University of California, Santa Barbara UCSB HR Student Association receives a specialized plaque to display at the university, and will be recognized in SHRM’s publications and at its conferences.
Executive Summary: The UCSB HR Student Association has had a unique impact on many students on campus. Since UCSB does not currently have an HR program, we have created an educational environment where students can learn about the profession as well as hear testimonials from real HR professionals. This year, UCSB hosted and competed in the HR Games state competition. Being a school that does not have the resources to obtaining a degree in HR, our students were able to devote additional time to plan and study for the competition. Although in some ways we were at a disadvantage, our team was able to give their best shot at an experience that will not only help them learn, but also grow as future HR professionals. Overall, our program was created to challenge and shape those individuals who were seeking a career in HR. We are constantly striving to educate, motivate, and support students that have an interest in the field of Human Resources.
For more information about SHRM’s Student Chapter Merit Award program, visit http://www.shrm.org/Communities/StudentPrograms/Pages/awards.aspx.