The Ivy HRM program creates opportunities for students to pursue what they enjoy most.
“I love the people side of business,” said Jena Edwards, a sophomore studying human resource management and marketing. “In both majors I am guaranteed a position where I will be working with people, to benefit people. Each day is also different in these positions. Both marketing and human resources can throw you in multiple directions on any given day, and I like that it is unknown until you are in the moment.”
The everchanging nature of daily tasks makes human resources a highly important facet in the operations of any modern business.
“HR professionals are the key to a thriving workplace, balancing organizational goals with employee well-being to create an environment where both people and the business can flourish,” said Annette Marsalli (‘22 management) who was in the HRM program.
Marsalli now works as a human resources generalist for Vision Bank in Grimes, Iowa, and credits Ivy as instrumental in equipping her with the skills necessary to drive effective HR practices and contribute to organizational success.
She continued, “Ivy’s HRM program prepared me to take on talent management, organizational development, strategic HR management, and more.”
Ivy’s HRM program prepared me to take on talent management, organizational development, strategic HR management, and more.
The Ivy program also prepares students for the Society of Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) exam and designation. It is the first four-year HRM degree program offered at one of the three Iowa public universities.
“The human resource management major is excellent for setting up students for post-graduation,” said Abilene Sosa Baez, senior in human resource management. “Instructors are there to prepare you and give you real-world knowledge for a human resources job that is a backbone for any organization.”
Accompanying the growth of HR professional positions in the workforce, Ivy’s HRM program has also flourished. With just three students enrolled in the program’s first semester, it reached a record high of 84 students in fall 2023 and is on pace for 109 students this semester (preliminary number as of September 12).
Attributing to this growth is the multitude of different courses offered at Ivy, providing students in the HRM program with a thorough understanding of the many aspects of human resources. One course highlighted in the HRM curriculum is the HR capstone course MGMT 4760: Applied Projects in HRM.
“The capstone offers the students an opportunity to gain substantive experience partnering with a company on a human resource-related project for one semester,” said course instructor Julie Caspar, assistant teaching professor in management and entrepreneurship. “The students are able to gain deeper knowledge and insight of a specific HR area, acquire project management skills within a team-based environment, and gain experience working with various clientele.”
Caspar has found her experience teaching the course extremely rewarding and credits the program with exponentially increasing students’ knowledge of the field.
“In the capstone, students have created and delivered a number of different HR programs, including a Train-the-Trainer workshop, an internship program, an employee rewards and recognition program, and a recruiting strategies program for the client and toolbox for the client hiring managers,” Caspar continued. “The learning process and the epiphanies experienced by many of the students over the four months is exciting and fun for them as well as for me.”
HRM average salaries
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HR Specialist
$32.53 hourly; $67,650 annually
Throughout Ivy’s many course offerings and opportunities, HRM students accumulate the preparation necessary for a triumphant entrance into the professional world of human resources. With the HR industry thriving more now than ever, the field’s financial offerings continue to bloom.
“Back when organizations first started managing their human capital, HR was heavily focused on the compliance portion of a workforce,” said Maggie Carbaugh (‘22 human resource management). “While compliance and policy management will always be a part of human resources, I feel in 2024, HR has evolved past the ‘fun police’ mindset to one that promotes and encourages growth, diversity, and learning.”
Carbaugh was a nontraditional student and has worked in talent acquisition and various HR generalist positions during her time in Ivy’s HRM program. Currently working as an employee and labor relations specialist with Iowa State, a position she has held since her graduation in 2022, she has witnessed first-hand the growth of professional human resources.
“HR is fluid,” she continued. “As people and society evolve and change, so does the management of those people. HR professionals truly care about making the workplace one that everyone feels comfortable contributing to, which is a big reason for the profession’s growth throughout recent years.”
For students, the benefit of career potential in human resources continues to expand, thus increasing the appeal of studying human resources. In addition to graduating with the SHRM-CP credential, select students are provided the opportunity to present at the Iowa SHRM conference. Featuring more than 50 speakers and 600 attendees, the conference unites HR professionals in an environment fostering extensive collaboration, providing the perfect introduction to the landscape of professional human resources.
“The experience of presenting at the State of Iowa SHRM Conference was exceptional and gave us real-life experience at a professional conference,” said Sydney Scothorn (‘24 human resource management), a former Iowa SHRM conference student presenter. “As a recent graduate of the program, I reflect upon how fortunate I am to have been able to participate in such a well-supported and fruitful curriculum. Ivy and the HRM program as a whole are dedicated to participatory learning that engages students and provides them with a vested interest in their area of study.”
In addition to Ivy’s program offering, Iowa State has a SHRM student chapter, which provides opportunities for students to network on the local level and increase their knowledge of human resources in the real world of business. Weekly meetings host HR professionals from around central Iowa who share their experience and expertise within their discipline of HR. The organization is yet another way students can maximize their understanding of the human resources field, and has helped draw more attention to Ivy’s growing HRM program.
