Human Resource Management

Roanoke's Human Resource Management Concentration is one of only 337 institutions worldwide that fully align with the Society for Human Resource Management's curriculum. This indicates that Roanoke offers a “broad and comprehensive curriculum in HR” according to SHRM and it allows our students to take the SHRM-CP exam. Roanoke is listed on the SHRM website directory, and SHRM indicates that students considering a career in HR should “explore here first” in reference to the directory. The Roanoke Valley Student chapter of the SHRM provides help with professional growth, networking and service opportunities for Roanoke students who are interested in careers in human resource management. To learn more, click here.

Connections are everything according to Stephanie Whitecross '17. "Dr. Hagadorn in the Business Department was a large reason for me securing an internship at Carilion Clinic," Whitecross said. There, she got to experience what it's like to be a part of a large organization and develop workplace skills. "If it wasn't for my internship, I might not have gotten the chance to know the Vice President of Human Resources."

"When the HR department created the role of Workplace Culture Specialist, they called me to ask if I would be interested in applying." After interviewing, Whitecross accepted the position in March of her senior year.

Anne Roemer's job as manager of astronaut selection for NASA's Johnson Space Center is out of this world. At a job fair, Roemer '97 struck up a conversation with someone who worked at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, which led to a job offer from NASA. In 2016-17, she helped select NASA's next 12 astronauts out of a pool of over 18,000 candidates. Roemer credits her experience in the Honors Program at Roanoke with helping her to develop strong verbal and written communication skills that are critical to her work at NASA today.

After working in industry, Dr. Johanna Sweet realized that organizations who focused solely on financial capital were creating an environment where employees don't always find purpose in their work and were often disengaged. "Organizations can create a competitive advantage that benefits both the employee and the organization," Sweet said. "The heart and backbone of any organization is the people.

"I believe in teaching the psychology behind human resource practices," she said. "We discuss the whole person and how policies and procedures can create an environment where employees flourish and thus create a competitive advantage for the organization."