EMU Today

YPSILANTI – Eastern Michigan University’s student chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has once again been named an Outstanding Student Chapter by the national organization for the 2016-2017 academic year.

Only twenty schools nationally were chosen for the honor, which is the society’s highest award. EMU is the only SHRM student chapter in Michigan to win the national Outstanding Student Chapter award.

SHRM has more than 450 affiliated student chapters with more than 15,000 student members around the world. More than 200 schools applied for the award.

“I am extremely proud of the officers and members of the EMU student chapter of SHRM for winning the Outstanding Student Chapter Award,” said Fraya Wagner-Marsh, head of EMU’s management department in the College of Business, and co-advisor for the student group. “Our chapter has won the Superior Merit award for the past 24 years and has won the top award 16 times since the award was created in 2000. This record is impressive and an indication of the hard work and dedication of the EMU students.”

To qualify for the top Outstanding Student Chapter Award, a student group must accumulate points in such categories as professional operation of the chapter, professional development for members, support for the human resources profession, and community service. Partnerships with local professional chapters such as the Greater Ann Arbor chapter of SHRM and Detroit SHRM also count.

 “A chapter of Eastern’s size has to complete 50 or more activities to receive the top award,” Wagner-Marsh said. “The Outstanding Student Chapter Award is given to Superior Merit Chapters that submit an outstanding student project. EMU’s project last year focused on wellness and awareness of various health issues of college students. For the wellness awareness project, students developed a campaign that included:

• Producing and distributing a brochure for students that included facts and resources on wellness and critical health issues for college students.

• Creating a website on wellness with related links and resources.

• Students volunteered at EMU’s Wellness Fair and distributed “healthy” snacks for Halloween at the Ypsilanti Halloween Event.

• Collected sports equipment for Ypsilanti youth summer camps.

 Other activities included:

•  Hosting six guest speaker meetings with local HR professionals.

• Coordinated a job-shadowing event on Ground Hog Day, where more than a dozen EMU students spent the day at various human resources offices.

• Organized a mentoring program where a professional from a local sponsoring SHRM chapter mentors EMU students for a year.

• The chapter also participated in several community projects, such as walking in the ‘Making Strides for Breast Cancer’ event.

 The Outstanding Student Chapter Awards were announced and winners were recognized this summer at the national SHRM conference in New Orleans.

The EMU chapter was chartered in 1995 and currently has more than 100 student members. Faculty co-advisors include Dr. Wagner-Marsh, Dr. Anushri Rawat, and Dr. Lax Manroop.

 For information, visit the EMU student chapter of SHRM website or on Facebook.

About Eastern Michigan University

Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest university in Michigan. It currently serves 22,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Health and Human Services; Technology, and its graduate school. EMU is regularly recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website.