Student Organization Spotlight: Society for Human Resource Management
Luis Rodriguez, President of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
As the first semester of the 2021-2022 academic year comes to an end, the Fowler College of Business is highlighting Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), a student organization that is making a difference both on campus and in the local community. After a virtual 2020-21 academic year, Society for Human Resource Management is transitioning back to in-person meetings where they invite guest speakers and host competitions where students can pitch new ideas. Luis Rodriguez (Senior, Management), President of SHRM, describes how getting involved impacted his college experience, his favorite SDSU memory, and more!
About the Society for Human Resource Management
Q: What are the goals of your organization?
- To provide SDSU students with an interest in Human Resources with co-curricular and networking experiences with professionals and SDSU alumni to prepare them for careers in Human Resources.
- To offer all SDSU students professional development preparation for the job search process in their chosen careers.
Q: Why should students join your organization?
Students should join our organization to meet other students who are interested in
human resource management, learn about professional development topics like crafting
a resume, interview skills, and the job search process. Our paid members receive many
benefits including networking opportunities, participation in our one-on-one alumni
mentoring program, and running for a leadership role.
Q: What events, gatherings, and activities does your organization host?
We host member planning meetings, SHRM SDSU Speaker Series Events, socials, and community service gatherings. At the beginning of each semester, we have our Kick-Off event and our Annual Speed Mentoring Event later in the semester.
Q: When does your organization meet?
For the 2021-2022 academic year, our organization meets every Tuesday at 4 pm at Park Blvd on the 1st floor of the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union.
Q: How does your organization connect with the community outside of SDSU?
We try to connect with communities outside of SDSU by donating supplies to local elementary programs and schools around the county to provide better tools to succeed in educational settings. We’ve also volunteered in beach clean-ups at various San Diego beaches.
Q: How can a student get involved with your organization?
We have meetings and events every Tuesday at 4 pm, located in the Park Blvd Room on the 1st floor of the Student Union. Students can come and observe to get a feel for the organization and see if they are interested. To become a member and gain access to special perks such as alumni mentoring programs, t-shirts, our point system, and more, we have a $20 fee for each semester. We have 15 officer positions that students can run for to further contribute to the success of our chapter!
Q: What are your organization’s social media handles?
Instagram: @shrm_sdsu
Twitter: @shrmsdsu
LinkedIn: SHRM SDSU
Facebook: @sdsu.shrm
Q: Anything else you’d like to add about your organization.
We are excited to continue our programming and in-person events next semester for our members and all students interested in pursuing a career in human resources.
Q &A with Society for Human Resource Management President, Luis Rodriguez
Name: Luis Rodriguez
Major: Business Administration Management: Emphasis in Human Resource Management and Spanish
Minor: Honors Interdisciplinary Studies and Leadership Development
Q: As a student leader involved with an organization at SDSU, can you share why you got involved and what your experience has been like so far?
I got involved with several student organizations early in my college career to make more friends and feel closer to the SDSU community. It was challenging for me to find my people while commuting by trolley back in my first years, and I wasn’t happy sitting in my classes and then going home afterwards. I felt bored and then I heard about the Commuter Life initiatives, and one day, I decided to attend one of the social events for commuter students, and the rest is history. So far, my decision to get involved on campus has been one of my best decisions throughout my time as an undergraduate student. I have been able to connect and network with professionals within my field, learned insights about my industry, and enhanced my overall leadership skills throughout my time as a campus leader. I fully recommend SHRM SDSU to any student interested in pursuing a career in human resources.
SHRM's 2021-2022 Executive Board.
Q: Are you involved in any other organizations on campus?
I am an active member of the Running Club at SDSU. They meet at the ENS field every weekday at 4 pm. I am also involved with College Democrats at SDSU.
Q: What experience with your organization has been the most impactful so far?
The most impactful experience was when our chapter sponsored 18 of our students to attend the SHRM National Conference in Las Vegas in June 2019. Our students were able to network with HR professionals from all over the world, attend HR workshops with professionals, and enhance their knowledge in the field of human resources.
Q: What has been your favorite event you’ve attended at SDSU? Why?
My all-time favorite event at SDSU has been the Homecoming 5K. I always look forward to the event every year to run with my team and show some school spirit while running a few loops around our campus. After running, we get to enjoy some tasty snacks and get rallied up for the football game that happens later in the day.
Q: Why is getting involved on campus important to you?
Getting involved is important to me because it has given me a meaningful and impactful college experience. I have been able to attend my classes and make friends from events and student organizations that I have been a part of which has greatly enhanced my college experience. Overall, I have been happy with the impact that I have had on other students within my chapter. I am pleased to see that so many students have started to get involved and know what a memorable college experience will look like to them. With the connections that we have made throughout SDSU, we never know who might be reaching out to us with a LinkedIn message asking if we’re interested in a job opportunity. Networking opens the door to a wide variety of future opportunities!
Q: What is the best advice you have received during your time at SDSU?
The best advice I have received during my time at SDSU is not to be afraid to try new things because our college years are for self-exploration. It is okay not to have everything figured out going into college and there is no rush to graduate. I remember feeling anxious about my career as a Spanish major because I did not know what I liked to do and what I wanted to do with my degree. I explored throughout my time and enrolled in my two minors in Leadership Development and the Honors Interdisciplinary Studies through the Weber Honors College. Then, I picked my second major in Human Resource Management in my third year because human resources sounded like something I would like, and everyone I met from the SHRM SDSU student chapter from Fall 2018 was so nice to me. Overall, I had my time to explore what I like and what I do not like from my campus involvement, and I stopped feeling rushed to graduate within my first four years.
Q: What is the best advice you have for future Fowler College of Business students?
I recommend all Fowler College of Business students to check out all the business student organizations that SDSU has to offer. There are 20+ business student organizations to get involved with and make friends in. Don’t be afraid to check out other majors or talk to people within them! Keep in mind, all business student organizations have their own individual ways of presenting their information at their daily meetings so I think it’s nice to check them out and attend their social events. Don’t forget to go and have fun with the student organizations. They are filled with like-minded students who want to make extracurricular involvement fun!
SHRM's first meeting of the 2021-2022 academic year.
Q: Are you involved in any internship opportunities?
I am not currently involved in an internship, but I was involved in one last semester. I was an HR Student Intern for the Center for Human Resources department at SDSU (CHR) where I researched, developed, and presented a report to the Management team at CHR on the industry’s HR best practices addressing pandemic effects. I also interviewed Human Resource professionals to gather information on the impact of the pandemic on their roles.
Q: What are your plans following graduation?
My current plans following my December 2021 graduation are to stay with my current employer for a few years to gather more years of experience. However, I am also open to other HR-related opportunities.
Q: What career aspirations do you have following your time at SDSU?
I want to be an HR Director at a well-known company in San Diego and be involved with the San Diego SHRM local HR professional group to network with fellow HR professionals. I also wish to give back to the SDSU community and sign up to be a mentor within the SHRM SDSU Alumni Mentoring Program and the SDSU Aztec Mentoring Program.
Q: Pancakes or waffles? Pancakes with maple syrup sound so good for breakfast on a Sunday morning!
Q: Favorite band? Queen is such a classic.
Q: Instagram or TikTok? I am a fan of the ‘gram
Q: Horror or comedy movie? A good ol’ comedy movie is always fun!
Q: Sunset Cliffs or La Jolla? La Jolla has great views and restaurants to explore.
Q: Pancho’s or Trujillo’s? I would choose Trujillo’s over Señor Pancho’s any day.
Q: Fun Fact? I have been in competitive distance running for 9 years!
