Student Chapter of the Society for Human Resources Management Enjoys Multiple Awards
Three awards in a single month? Members of the student chapter of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) at NYU-Polytechnic Institute have a lot to celebrate.
The chapter is already familiar with one of the honors: the Superior Merit Award. Poly-SHRM has received the award from the national organization almost every year since the chapter’s founding in 1987, a record for student chapters in the New York area. Innovative events such as its “Mock Interview” workshop and “Know Your Rights Day,” which the chapter coordinated with the International Student Organization, pushed Poly-SHRM to prominence, making it one of 109 chapters to receive the award out of more than 450 active chapters across the country.
The recognition allowed Poly-SHRM to apply for the Outstanding Chapter Award, which can only be given to those chapters that earned a Superior Merit Award. Applicants must identify specific activities, programs, and levels of participation that distinguish them from other chapters based on criteria such as recruitment, campus or community service, and innovation. Poly-SHRM stood out for its collaboration with the Adult Learning Center of the Brooklyn Public Library — together the groups organized a “Boost Your Career” workshop intended to assist underserved communities. With the national unemployment rate hovering around 9%, the workshop was a popular one, and attendees gained insight on many topics, such as preparing résumés and acing job interviews. According to Poly-SHRM members, early indications suggest that the lessons learned are leading to good jobs among workshop attendees. Early reports from workshop attendees indicate that the lessons they learned are leading to good jobs. Organizing the event, as well as other activities, including providing immigration and job placement information to international students, catapulted Poly-SHRM ahead of other applicants vying for the Outstanding Chapter Award. Poly-SHRM is one of 10 in the country to be recognized. It will be presented with the award, along with the Superior Merit Award, during the SHRM Annual Student Conference, which will be held this year in Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 25.
One of Poly-SHRM’s own has also been singled out for a special honor: Tammy Vaughn, who graduated last month with a master’s degree in organizational behavior from NYU-Poly, is the recipient of the Sherman Award, which recognizes the most active and supportive member of a SHRM student chapter. Granted by HRNY, the New York City chapter of SHRM, the award confers a $1,000 scholarship upon Vaughn, who leaves her post as president of Poly-SHRM to classmate Tamar Levinton. Writes Professor Harold Kaufman, chapter founder and faculty advisor, in his nominating letter to HRNY, “in all my years of working with the chapter’s leaders, few have exhibited the dedication and passion of Tammy Vaughn.” Under Vaughn, Professor Kaufman notes, Poly-SHRM drew the highest number of active student members in the chapter’s history, as well as established new relationships with the student chapters at Long Island University and NYU, among other accomplishments.
About NYU-Poly SHRM:
NYU-Poly SHRM is committed to providing its members and the NYU-Poly student community with professional and leadership development opportunities to prepare them for future careers. Most of the members are students in the MS in Organizational Behavior program that integrates the management of people, organizations and technology. NYU-Poly SHRM has activities throughout the year that are open to all NYU-Poly students. To participate and learn more, please go to the NYU-PolySHRM website, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Contacts
NYU-Poly SHRM Faculty Advisor & Academic Director, Organizational Behavior Program: Prof. Harold Kaufman at hkaufman@poly.edu
NYU-Poly SHRM President (2011-2012): Tamar Levinton at tlevin01@students.poly.edu
