Business Student Awarded Scholarship From Association Chapter

A business administration-human resource management major at Pennsylvania College of Technology has received a $1,000 scholarship from the local chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management.

The West Branch Human Resources Society presented the award to Michelle L. Yocum, of Port Trevorton, a junior in the college's School of Business and Computer Technologies and a member of the Phi Theta Kappa and Alpha Chi honor societies.

"The committee chose Michelle on the basis of her strong oral- and written-communication skills. Her application was well-written and she showed a lot of enthusiasm about the HR field during the interview process," said Phyllis Cumberledge, an employee representative at Wegmans in Williamsport and a West Branch board member.

"She also has very high standards for herself, carrying a 3.82 grade-point average while commuting from Port Trevorton daily and also working part time," added Cumberledge, who was aided in the selection by Linda M. Morris, a chapter member and director of human resources (employment/EEO) at Penn College. "We felt she would be a great addition to the HR field when she graduates."

The award to Yocum marks the second year that West Branch has honored Penn College students with scholarship funds and heralds a cooperative relationship between the local chapter and a newly formed campus organization.

"The student chapter is something we really want to foster, working with them and helping them whenever we can," said society President David E. Machamer, training manager at Woolrich Inc. and a part-time instructor of business administration at the college. SHRM is an international professional human resources association that has more than 170,000 members worldwide.

Citing the networking possibilities inherent in student access to a "roomful of practitioners," Machamer said his group plans to invite the new chapter to its October meeting for a panel discussion and question-and-answer session.

The West Branch chapter, with members and perspective from a variety of area business and industry, meets regularly at the college's Le Jeune Chef Restaurant. Machamer and Cumberledge are joined on its board by Judy Krezmer, Kristen Michael, Kim Paulhamus, JoAnn DiPasquale, Carol Kester, Cheryl Appleton and Jim Yoxtheimer.

Officers of the student chapter for 2006-07 all enrolled in the business administration-human resource management baccalaureate-degree major are April L. Walsh, Williamsport, president; Rebecca J. Dohl, Muncy, vice president; Lauren K. Sauers, Williamsport, secretary; and Desiree L. Snyder, Williamsport, treasurer.

The group's faculty adviser is Robert B. Gudgel, associate professor of business administration/human resources management at Penn College.

For more about academic majors offered by the School of Business and Computer Technologies at Penn College, call (570) 327-4512, send e-mail or visit online .