This week, we are spotlighting Claire Parson, a second-year student in the Industrial-Organizational Psychology & Human Resource Management (IOHRM) program. Claire is from St. Louis, Missouri, and received her undergraduate degree from Truman State University, where she first learned about App State’s IOHRM program.
Journey to IOHRM
At Truman State, Claire regularly volunteered to serve on her psychology department’s monthly Prospective Student Panels, which included current psychology students and faculty. During one of these panels, a professor mentioned the IOHRM program at App State and shared that a past mentee of his is now a long-standing faculty member in the program. The program stuck with Claire, and when she later looked into it and learned more about what it offered, she knew it was the right place for her.
Claire shared that she expected the program to feel both welcoming and challenging. “It has definitely been both of those things. The program is challenging me in the best way possible, but I also know that faculty and other students will always support me and want me to do well. The IOHRM program really pushes you to be great,” she said. Claire also noted that her experience in the program has helped her trust herself and her abilities more, as she has put in more effort than she ever thought possible. That effort has consistently paid off, and through various challenges, she has refined countless skills over the past two years.
Exploring Interests as a Student
One of Claire’s favorite courses has been Compensation, where she had the opportunity to examine compensation through a philosophical lens. Two of her other favorite classes have been Quantitative Methods and Advanced Quantitative Methods. In Quantitative Methods, Claire learned how to code in R—a skill she never expected to develop—and deepened her understanding of statistics beyond what she learned as an undergraduate. In Advanced Quantitative Methods, she strengthened her coding and statistical skills and gained experience writing professional reports, a skill that will be valuable in her future career.
One of her favorite projects was a group facilitation in Strategic HR Management, where her team dissected a case and guided the class through activities, ultimately providing recommendations. Claire described the project as fun and engaging. She also enjoyed a partner project in Intro to HR and Professional Issues, where she discussed expatriation and role-played a consulting board meeting with the class.
Outside of coursework, Claire has served in several leadership roles and been involved in multiple student organizations. She joined the FOCUS Team within HR Science during her first year and now serves as a Team Co-Lead alongside another IOHRM student. FOCUS stands for Foundations of Career Understanding in Psychology Students, and her team is currently working to improve the Eugene website, which provides undergraduate psychology students at App State with the KSAs they have gained through their coursework. Through this project, Claire has learned about the utility of AI and how to train an AI agent to serve a specific purpose and generate the desired output for her team.
Claire is also involved in App State’s Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) student chapter, where she serves as Vice President of Administration. In SHRM, she has worked on two consulting projects. Claire shared, “My experience in SHRM has taught me how much I enjoy supporting others. As the VP of Administration, I oversee keeping things organized for both the members of SHRM and the executive team. Of course, I enjoy being more up front and leading in certain capacities, but this role has allowed me to take a step back and help shape the environment so that members and the executive team are set up for success.”
Claire is also in the final stretch of completing her thesis. Her research examines (1) how psychological safety relates to identity management strategies commonly used by individuals with invisible disabilities, (2) how anticipated stigma, disability visibility, and disability identity influence these relationships, and (3) how these identity management strategies relate to employees’ sense of authenticity. By identifying the psychological and contextual conditions that shape identity management decisions, Claire’s thesis aims to clarify when employees feel safe to be open about their disability and how these decisions affect their sense of authenticity. “As someone who has a lifelong eye condition that falls under the umbrella of invisible disabilities, this research is very meaningful to me, and I sincerely hope it is a step in the right direction toward understanding factors that ultimately result in the best outcomes for workers with disabilities of this kind,” she shared.
Claire shared that she always enjoyed statistics during her undergraduate studies but did not have many opportunities to apply her knowledge in ways that felt directly relevant to I-O psychology. Through her coursework in the IOHRM program, she has been able to apply statistics to meaningful, real-world data. She has also developed an interest in compensation—an area she had not previously considered. “Taking Compensation with Dr. Davison helped me identify it as an interest and got me super interested,” she shared.
Favorite Part of the IOHRM Program
Claire’s favorite part of being an IOHRM student has been building friendships within her cohort. “When I first decided to join the program, I was definitely nervous to move far away from home, but getting close with my cohort made that transition so much easier,” she shared. She also valued her relationships with her second-year buddy, Taylor Brynds, when she was a first-year student, and now her first-year buddy, Sydney Steelman. “Beyond the valuable curriculum, what makes this program so special are the people who make it up.”
Advice for Prospective Students
Claire recommends reaching out to current students to gain their perspective. She did this while weighing her graduate school options, and it played a significant role in her decision to join the IOHRM program. “The advice I received from current students ultimately led me to make my decision. They gave me guidance on assistantships, finding housing in Boone, adjusting to life in graduate school, coming from out of state, and so much more,” she shared.
She also noted that while the program requires significant effort, it helps students develop skills they may never have imagined—both personally and professionally. “You will consistently feel as though you’re not ready or not capable of doing something the program asks of you, but when you do it—and do it well—it builds confidence and trust in yourself that is invaluable.”
Current Plans After Graduation
After graduation, Claire plans to return to the St. Louis area. She is currently seeking roles in people analytics, though she remains open to other I-O or HR-related positions within organizations whose missions she supports. Claire shared that one of the most valuable resources the IOHRM program has provided is its alumni network. Every alum she has spoken with has been willing to offer advice and support throughout her job search. “Having such a strong and engaged alumni network is a really special aspect of the program, and I hope to continue tapping into that resource as I move further into my job search,” she shared.
Claire Parson
