History

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) traces its origins to the spring of 1975 when a task force of members from the Lincoln Personnel Management Association met with a small group of UNL students to explore the possibility of establishing a student chapter. The task force, chaired by Tom Alexander, Human Resource Director of the National Bank of Commerce, was instrumental in successfully launching the new student venture. Among other members of the task force were Harvey Schwartz, Jerry Sellentin, Georgia Schmitt, Jim Spangler, and Ray Oepping.

The new UNL chapter, known at the time as the American Society for Personnel Administration (ASPA), received its charter at a June meeting held at the Knolls. Presenting the charter was Dr. John Belt, National Chairman of the ASPA College Relations Committee and faculty advisor to the student chapter at Wichita State University. Professor Cary Thorp agreed to serve as faculty advisor to the UNL chapter and served in that capacity until his retirement in 2002.

There were 14 members in the first year of the chapter’s existence. President Bob Ebers started a tradition that has continued to the present by leading the chapter to the Superior Merit Award granted by ASPA. Bob also received recognition at the national convention of ASPA as the Outstanding Student for the 1975-76 academic year. Over the next four years, each of the UNL student chapter presidents received “Outstanding Student” recognition. They were: Jan Slosson (2nd place – 1976-77), Jerry Pigsley (3rd place – 1977-78), Patti Hartz (1st place – 1978-79), and Tom King (3rd place – 1979-80). Patti Hartz also won the Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award for 1979-80 – the first year that this award was presented.

The tradition of excellence has continued throughout the 24 years of the UNL chapter’s existence, culminating this past year with the 22nd superior merit award (merit awards were won in the other two years). President Lisa Ruhnke was named by SHRM as the Outstanding Graduate Student for 1994-95 and Jeff Standley as the Outstanding Undergraduate Student for 1995-96.

The continued support of the parent chapter, the Lincoln Human Resource Management Association, has been highly instrumental to the success of the student chapter. LHRMA members have served as guest speakers, panelists, resource persons, tour guides, and “shadows.” The immediate Past President of LHRMA serves as a liaison between the parent and student chapters. The parent chapter has also provided financial support including the funding of the Richard Bourne Scholarship, a $500 award given to an undergraduate student in the field of Human Resource Management. Several winners of the Bourne Scholarship have been from the UNL Chapter including the 2002 recipient, Brian Schuele.