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In April, four students from the University of North Texas attended the North Texas SHRM Annual Conference. Ashlyn McMullen, Gigi Musnug, Kate Martin, and Nancy Batres represented UNT's SHRM Chapter and were excited by what they learned.   

The two-day conference offers educational sessions led by experienced HR professionals, covering a wide range of topics including updates on the latest HR trends, technologies, and legal developments.

Kate Martin said, "The speakers were honest, engaging, and full of insight, and their stories and advice really stuck with me; I left the conference feeling more confident, encouraged, and eager to keep learning and growing." One of Kate's favorite parts was being able to apply what she had learned in the classroom to real-world conversations.

Nancy Batres, HR Intern at the City of North Richland Hills, shared that the conference provided her with valuable opportunities to learn from HR professionals about the latest trends and workplace solutions. Education session topics included employee engagement, a culture of wellbeing, leadership reimagined, communication with AI to personalize team engagement, employee benefit trends, emerging trends to attract and retain top talent, and work-life balance techniques.

For Gigi Musnug, the conference renewed her sense of why she chose the Human Resources Management degree program. She was inspired by the presentation on women’s health in the workplace and the need for more benefits to help with women’s health. Gigi hopes to take an inclusive and thoughtful approach to helping all employees, especially women, when she transitions to the workplace.

The conference is also a valuable platform for networking with HR professionals, building relationships, and exchanging ideas. Ashlyn McMullen stated, "One of the most valuable aspects of the event was the opportunity to connect with HR leaders, peers, and mentors through meaningful networking moments built into the agenda." The students were able to visit with HR professionals to learn more about their roles, and during lunch, they met alumni from UNT's HR program. It was exciting for them to speak to the alumni and hear about their transition into the workforce and the HR profession. 

All the students agreed that the conference was a time to soak up everything HR, ask questions, and make meaningful connections.