VSU SHRM Captures Fifth Consecutive Merit Award

VALDOSTA - The Valdosta State University chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management captured its fifth consecutive student chapter award, the National Superior Merit Award, presented by the main office in Alexandria, Va.

The award was bestowed on the VSU chapter for its exceptional efforts in providing opportunities for growth and development to its student chapter members. The program continuously recognizes the top student chapters from among more than 400 SHRM student chapters nationwide.

The VSU-SHRM Merit Award Team consisted of Monica Villa, chair and vice president, Lindsey George, president, and Jessica Waldrop, treasurer. To obtain the prestigious Superior Merit Award, VSU-SHRM sponsored many human resource speakers and several site visits for its members; they also participated in various community services and campus activities. The VSU-SHRM chapter received a specialized plaque to display at the university, and will be recognized in SHRM publications and at its conferences.

“Recipients of the student chapter merit award have a proven track record of providing their members networking and educational opportunities which assist their members in making the transition from backpack to briefcase,” said Chuck Salvetti, SHRM’s Student Programs manager. “SHRM is extremely proud of this year’s award-winning student chapters and all of their accomplishments.”

Only 66 other student chapters joined VSU in the Superior Merit Award category, while 38 chapters received merit award status. To earn the Superior Merit designation, chapters must complete at least 46 out of 60 activities during the merit award cycle of April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008. Merit award status is granted to chapters that complete between 34 and 45 activities during the same cycle.

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.

SHRM is the world’s largest professional association devoted to human resource management. Its mission is to serve the needs of HR professionals by providing the most current and comprehensive resources, and to advance the profession by promoting the essential, strategic role of human resources. Founded in 1948, SHRM represents more than 225,000 individual members in over 125 countries, and has a network of more than 575 affiliated chapters in the United States, as well as offices in China and India.

For more information about SHRM’s Student Chapter Merit Award program, visit http://www.shrm.org/students/meritaward . For info about VSU-SHRM, visit www.valdosta.edu/shrm or e-mail President Elect Jessica Waldrop at jlschmitz@valdosta.edu .