TechSHRM continues to accrue recognition

The student leaders of  TechSHRM, the NYU Tandon student chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), have consistently garnered awards for the organization as well as for themselves.  They are typically in the Department of Technology Management and Innovation MS program in Management of Technology (MOT), concentrating their studies in the rapidly growing field of People Analytics.  Just last year, Sansaptak De (MOT ’23) the president of  TechSHRM, won the coveted Sherman Award from the New York City chapter of the national organization (NYC-SHRM).  The Sherman Award recognizes leadership and service among all the student SHRM chapters in NYC and is conferred on the student most active and supportive of their chapter   

Now this year, current TechSHRM president Howard Hong (MOT ’24), has followed in his predecessor’s footsteps, receiving a Sherman Award of his own from NYC-SHRM. “I’m very proud to be the latest of many Sherman laureates in the history of TechSHRM,” Hong says. “All of us who have won the award owe thanks to Professor Emeritus Harold (Hal) Kaufman, who founded TechSHRM in 1987 as a Management Professor and has been its advisor ever since.  In fact, he won a well-deserved Advisor Impact Award from national SHRM in 2021 for his exemplary service to students. He has been a tireless mentor and a dedicated advocate for every student lucky enough to have interacted with him during our educational journeys.”   The Sherman Award is not the only laurel Hong has won recently: His team took first-place honors in the Bayer Digital Campus Challenge, which asked students to envision the future of the iconic pharmaceutical company in a digitally transformed, trustful healthcare ecosystem.

Moreover, the Sherman Award was not the only recognition achieved by TechSHRM in recent months.  As in most years since its founding, TechSHRM qualified for the SHRM Student Chapter Superior Merit Award from the national organization, In addition, this year TechSHRM was one of the few recipients of the Outstanding Chapter Award, which is the highest level of recognition a chapter can receive.  This Award is based on a chapter’s outstanding activities and projects, operations, and professional development of members, among other criteria. This is the fifth time that TechSHRM has received the Outstanding Chapter Award.  

“SHRM student chapter members embody the upcoming cohort of HR trailblazers, and it’s vital to highlight their achievements,” said Michael P. Aitken, SHRM Chief Membership Officer. “The dedication displayed by TechSHRM underscores that the future of the profession is in good hands. I commend their achievements and their adeptness in cultivating inventive initiatives, growth, and enthusiasm for HR, especially as we steer through evolving work landscapes.”

Among the programming that attracted the attention of Aitken and his colleagues was TechSHRM’s Annual Conference on Human Capital Innovation in Technology & Analytics, which this year focused on the future of remote work and attracted some 400 attendees. 

Kaufman asserts that this year’s SHRM honors are justly deserved. “Like Sansaptak before him, Howard has exhibited exceptional dedication, leadership, and responsibility,” he said. “He is moving forward with plans for more in-person events – especially welcome in a post-pandemic world, and he is open to collaborate with other Tandon clubs on initiatives that will benefit the widest possible range of students. After all, we are devoted to the idea that our human resources are the most valuable assets we have, and we want to cultivate them however we can.”

For more information on joining or participating in upcoming events, visit the TechSHRM page on NYU Engage.