This week, we are spotlighting Leah Uteg-Winkelman, a second-year student in the Industrial-Organizational Psychology & Human Resource Management (IOHRM) program. Leah received her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where her academic journey first sparked her interest in IOHRM.
Journey to IOHRM
Leah’s interest in IOHRM began during her undergraduate studies when she took a social psychology course. She originally entered college as an undeclared major, but when she came across I/O psychology in her textbook, she quickly became intrigued by the combination of psychology and business. This led her to declare organizational psychology as her major. Leah enjoyed diving into topics such as motivation, workplace behavior, and psychological theories that explain why employees behave the way they do. While Leah knew she didn’t want to become a practicing psychologist, she loved the idea of applying psychology in organizational settings. Wanting to grow further in the field, she decided to pursue a master’s degree and discovered App State’s IOHRM program while researching top I/O programs. It quickly became her top choice.
Leah shared that she expected graduate school to be challenging and knew it would require a significant amount of work, but was surprised by how little she knew when she entered the program. “The growth in my knowledge and professional capabilities over the past two years has been significant,” she shared. Leah also shared that the program pushes students to truly understand and apply the material they learn. Although it was challenging, Leah finds her experience in the program worthwhile and shared how much she looks up to her professors and aspires to grow into a professional like them.
Exploring Interests as a Student
One of Leah’s favorite courses has been Strategic HR Management, a class she is currently taking in her fourth and final semester of the IOHRM program. She shared that the course brings together everything she has learned throughout the program and has given her the opportunity to practice acting as an HR professional to better understand what she needs to be prepared for after graduation. She described the course as “a love letter to all of our classes,” emphasizing how it connects prior coursework and brings it all together at the very end.
Outside of coursework, Leah has served in many leadership roles and has been involved in multiple student organizations. She currently serves as the Vice President of Operations for the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) student chapter, as well as leads the Recruitment Committee and serves on the Social/Service Committee. Leah also works as an HR Business Partner at Beans2Brew, a student-led nonprofit coffee shop designed to give students real-world experience in business and management. She also serves as a Co-Team Lead in HR Science for the Organizational Cultural Insights team, which focuses on authenticity in recruitment by examining how organizational culture is portrayed to job seekers through career websites. Through these roles, Leah has developed leadership skills and gained hands-on experience, applying what she has learned in her courses.
Throughout the program, Leah has become interested in performance management, specifically motivation and how it connects to employee outcomes. During her summer internship, she gained exposure to talent development and succession planning, where she learned how organizations identify critical roles and help employees develop the skills needed for success in these roles. These experiences have helped Leah discover interests she had not originally anticipated but now finds meaningful.
Favorite Part of the IOHRM Program
One of Leah’s favorite aspects of the IOHRM program has been the sense of community it creates. Coming from a city and moving far from home, Leah shared how much she has enjoyed living in the mountains and experiencing a new environment for two years. Leah shared that she appreciates how invested students and faculty are in one another’s learning and success. “Everyone actually wants to learn and grow, and the professors want what's best for us,” she shared.
Advice for Prospective Students
Leah encourages prospective students to enjoy their time off the summer before starting the program and to enter with confidence. She emphasized that everyone brings different experiences and perspectives into the program, and that students can learn a lot from each other. Leah advises students not to compare themselves to others, but to speak up with ideas and take advantage of every opportunity to learn.
Leah shared that she wishes she knew how much flexibility there is when it comes to getting involved outside of the classroom. While there are many opportunities available, students have time to explore clubs, ask questions, and figure out where they want to invest their time and energy. She encourages students to not feel pressured to commit to everything at once and to allow themselves time to discover where their interests lie, both within and outside of the IOHRM program.
Current Plans After Graduation
After graduation, Leah hopes to pursue a role in talent development, either in training or another position that allows her to better understand business operations and support employee growth. She also plans to move back closer to family in Illinois and buy a house with her husband. She also looks forward to graduating alongside her cohort in May.
Leah shared that the IOHRM program has shaped how she approaches her job search. Beyond finding a role she enjoys, she wants to prioritize working with leaders and peers who value her perspective. The care and passion her professors show for their students and the field of IOHRM have influenced what she hopes to find in her future workplace. The IOHRM program has given Leah the confidence to advocate for I/O psychology within organizations that may not have exposure to the field.
A photo of Leah Uteg-Winkelman
