This year’s annual conference for North Carolina Industrial & Organizational Psychologists (NCIOP) focused on personality, leadership, and theory in I/O Psychology. Several current IOHRM graduate students and alumni were in attendance, expanding their knowledge of many commonplace concepts, from presentation skills to stress recovery. The session started with Wendy Corbett, Chief Presentation Officer, who gave attendees a thorough breakdown on the components of effective presentations. Wendy presented evidence that filler words go beyond the typical “ums” and “uhs.” For example, phrases such as “be that as it may” and “that being said” dilute the power of conversation. After, attendees got a chance to network with other master’s and Ph.D. students from across the state, as well as seasoned professionals. The conference wrapped up with a plenary session from Dr. Chris Cunningham, program director from UTC’s I-O Master’s program, regarding stressors, strains, and stress recovery. He taught attendees about several material, psychological, and social factors that boost resilience against stressors. IOHRM second year graduate student Soundarya Kanthimathinathan said of the day, “NCIOP was a great opportunity to develop our soft skills, network, and broaden our I-O Psychology knowledge.”
