Welcome, everyone! This week’s student spotlight is Ellise, an accomplished second-year student in the program. Today, we are going to share a little bit about her journey through the program, some insights into Ellise’s future career after graduation, as well as some advice she has for the current and future students of the IOHRM program. Ellise’s journey encapsulates the many opportunities that our program offers its students, and we hope her experiences can drive inspiration for all who read this.
A little about Ellise and her plans for the future:
Ellise is currently completing her graduate assistantship with the Office of Human Resources here at Appalachian State and is eagerly anticipating her recently accepted position in Cincinnati, Ohio in the GE Aerospace Human Resource Leadership Program, a two-year rotational program, following graduation in the Spring of 2024. This position offers three rotations, including one focused on hourly client interactions, one salary client-facing rotation, and one specialty HR rotation. Ellise enjoys hobbies such as reading when she can, painting, hiking, and traveling, and hoping to do more of them after graduation.
Ellise’s summer internship and her experience:
“I interned with T. Marzetti, a food manufacturing company in Westerville as a DE&I and Talent Development HR Intern. Overall, I had a very enriching experience in which I was not only exposed to a new side of Human Resources but I was also exposed to an entirely new type of industry that I had never worked for before. The projects I worked on included developing recommendations for a continuous employee listening program, launching a Young Professional's ERG, supporting the development of a leadership competencies model, and developing a new employee onboarding buddy program. All in all, these projects taught me a lot for my professional development and have given me skills and experience that I can apply and carry with me in my future endeavors!”
Ellise’s advice for interview success:
“Practice, practice, practice. Interview jitters are real, so having some prior practice with potential responses or even just general interview etiquette will come in handy when you are going through the real thing. Also, be sure to get familiar with the company you are interviewing for. I like to start at an organization's website to learn about their mission and values, current news, current functions, business model, and any information that may be relevant to the job/internship I am applying for. This will not only make you look good to the company, but it will also allow you to ask meaningful questions that will help you determine if that company is a good fit for you. Lastly, be true to yourself! Whether it be showing some of your personality or staying true to your values, don't be scared to look for and ask for what you want from a company.”
Why Ellise chose the IOHRM program:
Expressing enthusiasm for this program, Ellise chose the IOHRM to further her education due to being able to dive deeper into quantitative analysis, and research methodologies, and gaining exposure to the business side and social sciences. Initially hesitant about the HR aspects, conversations with Dr. Huelsman, the IOHRM program director, led to bringing out the value of corporate and business roles and led Ellise to select the IOHRM program. Ellise enjoys the intersection of understanding, research, and the practical application of scientific principles within a business environment - a convergence she wholeheartedly loves as it puts all Ellise’s diverse interests into one bubble of experience.
