News release Public Information Office   SLU 10880   Hammond, LA 70402   phone: 985-549-2341   fax: 985-549-2061 publicinfo@selu.edu     www.selu.edu/news Contact: Angey Saucier Date: 10/2/03   SOUTHEASTERN’S SHRM TO HOST NATIONAL CONFERENCE       HAMMOND -- The Southeastern Louisiana University chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has been chosen to host the 2004 National SHRM Conference in New Orleans next summer.        The Southeastern chapter received the good news shortly around the time members attended the Louisiana State Human Resource Conference in Baton Rouge. At the state conference, Southeastern’s chapter was also asked by the state executive board to develop and distribute the conference’s session evaluations and tabulate the results, which will be presented to the state council in summarized form. In preparation for their upcoming duties in the national conference, students also spent time at the Baton Rouge conference promoting the state in the Louisiana booth.        Carl Phillips, faculty advisor for the Southeastern chapter of SHRM, said as hosts for the 2004 conference, students will play a large role in volunteering. Chapter liaison Chad Murray of Destrehan will coordinate all student volunteers from across the nation and he will also sit on numerous conference committees.        Attending the convention were alumnae Michelle Bersuder and Pearl Corona. Student members were Michelle Audrict of Hammond, Rachel Beard and Jenny Borill of Denham Springs, Brittany Carr of Port Allen, Lakesha Cooley and Lindsay Reine of Slidell, Amanda Gerhardt of Covington, Erin Gravette of Metairie, Kim Hatcher of Maurepas, Miranda LeBlanc of Livingston, Murray, Dana Olivier of Baton Rouge, Mark Puffpaff of Robert, and Barbara Roscoe of Mandeville.       “This was THE state human resources conference,” said Phillips. “It is no surprise the state board and national organizations took such notice of our students. I received several compliments from recruiters to vice presidents in human resources regarding the professionalism and great job our students did at the conference.”       Within the past year, the SHRM chapter has earned the society’s Superior Merit Award for 2002-2003. The award, based on the chapter’s active performance and service, is presented to less than one-fourth of the society’s 400-plus student chapters throughout the nation. They were also cited as the fastest growing chapter at the convention with an increase in membership of more than 230 percent for the 2002-2003 merit year.       The Southeastern chapter of SHRM has also attended conferences in Philadelphia and Orlando. Past SHRM activities benefitting the campus and community have been campus speakers, volunteer work at the Louisiana Works Veterans Affairs Workshop and the Southeastern Career Fair, and a food drive to benefit the Tangi Food Pantry.       The Society for Human Resource Management's Student Program was created in 1965 “to promote mutually beneficial interaction between human resource management students and practitioners.” There are nearly 10,000 student members nationwide.       Students interested in becoming a member of SHRM should contact Carl Phillips at 985-549-3081, Toni Phillips at 985-549-3078, or email SHRM@selu.edu. Return to News Releases