Broad School is the place where I am pursuing my future as a Human Resource professional. Very few people know that Broad has a highly recognized and well regarded Human Resources (HR) concentration. Broad takes pride in offering a highly respected HR program for so many years now. Though the number of students in HR is small, we are a driving force behind the success and growth of the Broad community.
Broad is a perfect example of a close knit community and HR class takes it one step further in promoting the collaborative team environment. They are always seen helping, supporting, and challenging each other that create a really conducive environment for personal as well as professional development. You get the first taste of HR course quality as early as in the first semester when you go for a unique practical experience of ‘Leadership Development’ through an interactive computer game at Team Effectiveness Lab. This was developed by Broad school Management faculty with a grant from US department of defense. Here you learn the art of decision making under stressful conditions and that too through a fun filled video game. Isn’t that cool?
Management faculty is really unmatched. We have Dr. Hollenbeck who has turned his leadership class into a totally creative experience. Then you have Dr. Wagner who will teach you all the Organizational behavior problems and how to address the challenges that companies face on a daily basis. Exhausting as it may seem, I promise that you will emerge a seasoned HR manager out of that class. There are various other sources to expand on HR knowledge because Broad gives you a chance to start on your HR electives by the second semester. This early exposure helps in choosing an HR track (such as Generalist, Compensation, Training & Development and Consulting). More exciting is that we are even allowed to use the resources of the Labor & Industrial Relations School at MSU (that has been ranked as Top 3 consistently)!
While you are busy building your HR skill set, companies start visiting school in the first semester. Many of these companies specifically look to hire Broad HRs. This year we were visited by Cummins, GE, Johnson & Johnson, Honeywell, Raytheon, General Mills, Microsoft, Dell and various others. It was no surprise that HR became the first major at Broad school to achieve the target of 100 percent intern placement.
There is always a buzz going around in HR class. That may be because of various SHRM (Society of Human Resources Management) events happening on campus such as guest speakers from the likes of Disney, Rolls Royce or various other corporations. It is like a roller coaster ride – work hard, play hard and move fast! For me, the best part is the plethora of opportunities for growth. I am working towards my goal of being a sound HR professional, planning for my first HR certification and side by side working over my old love of SAP-HR! All at one place, MSU Broad!
