In late September, the student chapter of the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) at San José State University (SJSU) won the society’s Outstanding Merit Award for 2023-2024, a distinction they received just four years ago in 2019-2020.
Alexandra Phan, ’26 Management and co-president of SHRM at SJSU, expressed that she and the student organization are both “excited and honored to continue this legacy, and keep the momentum going following the pandemic.”
According to Meghna Virick, associate dean in the Lucas College of Business, the SHRM Student Chapter Outstanding Merit Award program was established in 1972. It was designed to inspire student chapters across the country to uphold excellence in critical areas, including operational standards, impactful programming, member professional development, support for the human resources profession and engagement with SHRM.
“Receiving this award is a testament to the dedication, hard work and passion of our students,” said Virick.
Phan said this recognition feels like a reflection of the environment and community being fostered at SHRM. She also gave kudos to Isabel Pérez, ’24 Human Resource Management, ’26 MBA, the co-chapter president who led alongside her in spring 2024.
SHRM at SJSU’s co-president, Taylor Brown, ‘25 Human Resource Management, echoed Phan’s enthusiasm.
“It’s an honor and really rewarding to have our hard work recognized, showing how much our chapter’s efforts have paid off and made a difference,” Brown said.
Phan added that through the semester they strived to develop standout student leaders by providing the platform and opportunities necessary.
Lucille Headrick, assistant professor in the School of Management and faculty advisor of SHRM at SJSU, said the recognition validates the diligence of the students, their commitment to professional development and the effort they put into making the club a supportive space for those pursuing careers in HR. She attributes multiple factors for the accolade.
“The student chapter stood out for this distinction by establishing connections between students and professionals, preparing students for their careers and providing opportunities for hands-on experiences that offer insight into HR,” Headrick said. “Some key events and programs include the Buddy Program, Mentorship Program, SHRMittee (social committee) and the Mock Case Competition.”
Brown also gives credit to collaboration with organizations like SHRM, the National Human Resources Association and the Bay Area Human Resource Executives Council.
“In particular, our wonderful mentors and volunteers from these HR organizations have been instrumental in helping us achieve both our short term and long term goals for this chapter,” Brown said.
“To continue growing and developing our chapter, we plan to keep expanding our recruiting efforts on campus and hopefully be able to offer even more opportunities to our students,” she added. “We also plan to dedicate more time and effort to strengthening our relationships with HR organizations so we can continue learning from their expertise.”
Phan believes students resonate with SHRM at SJSU because of the culture of care and curiosity fostered through socials and professional development events. In her opinion, one of the keys to the chapter’s future success is expanding their alumni and professional network to maximize the diverse perspectives being shared at events and the subsequent opportunities being provided.
Looking ahead, SHRM at SJSU will have the opportunity to vie for a repeat recognition when the next merit award application window closes in April 2025.
Learn more about upcoming SHRM events.
Lucas College and Graduate School of Business faculty, staff, students and alumni consistently make a significant impact in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Many graduates have gone on to excel in various industries, with a notable presence in Silicon Valley. These organizations recognize and value the exceptional education and skills our alumni bring to their roles, making San José State University a key contributor to the region’s thriving economy. We offer MBA, PMBA, MSFA, MSAA, MST and MSTM degrees at the graduate level and 14 different BSBA concentrations at the undergraduate level, the largest set of offerings among the CSUs. These include accounting, accounting information systems, business analytics, corporate accounting & finance, entrepreneurship, finance, general business, hospitality, tourism, & event management, human resources management, international business, management, management information systems, marketing, and operations & supply chain management.