2006 HR Southwest Conference and Exposition “Next Generation HR: Imagine the Future ” October 17 – 20, 2006 Register Now!

HR Southwest – A Student Perspective

In October of 2005, three students from the University of Texas at San Antonio traveled to Fort Worth for the Annual HR Southwest Conference. Samantha Hernandez, Ginger Ramos, and I were among numerous students from UTSA and other Universities across the country that have traveled to North Texas over the years. The attendance of students to this conference is made possible by sponsorship from individuals and organizations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. These individuals and organizations that are willing to sponsor are what truly inspire students to attend HR Southwest.

At UTSA, students who are members of the SHRM student chapter are only sent to the event if they receive sponsorship. Why should students attend a professional conference? I asked myself the same question when I was trying to decide on attending HR Southwest. I was assured of the invaluable experiences that were available when discussing the events of the 2004 conference with recent graduates.

Two parties benefit from the sponsorship program at HR Southwest. First, the students benefit. The education, relationships, and memories that I gained from attending the 2005 HR Southwest Conference have become a continuous necessity in my daily life. Learning sessions, exhibit halls, guest speakers, dining…all of the things we are told about in class can be found in this one event, and because of sponsorships, students are allowed to attend and apply what we have been taught in our curriculum. Best of all, students have a “get out of jail free” card merely because of their educational status. If students make mistakes on proper business etiquette, or are not sure how to react in certain segments of the conference, professionals are accepting of the lack of experience and willing to guide their way. Our group from UTSA also found many professionals willing to discuss their experiences, mistakes, and adventures in HR. This is an invaluable opportunity for students to get a real-world perspective on what HR is and what possibilities are available for a budding young professional.

Another benefit of sponsorship provides relief of the financial burden from students. With sponsorships, those of us living on a student income do not have to bear the registration costs of the event; we only have to bear the butterflies in our stomachs when we get to Fort Worth. Mingling with professionals at one of the largest regional conference in the SHRM organization can be quite intimidating for an inexperienced student. This event definitely provided a new arena to practice networking and professional socialization to get over anxiousness and nervousness.

The second benefiting parties of sponsorship are the professionals and organizations that provided the funds. These individuals and organizations have the opportunity to establish networks with students who are educating themselves in the HR profession and soon will be seeking employment. Employee seekers can scout candidates and possibly solidify a communication channel to a university providing a differentiated applicant pool.

In retrospect, my only regret was that I attended HR Southwest as a senior, leaving me no other chance to take advantage of the sponsorship program sooner. Students from UTSA and across the country have this great opportunity that will provide lasting education, relationships, and memories made possible by the generosity of professional sponsorship. Professionals and students alike gain from this program, and I encourage both to take advantage of the opportunity.

Joseph Rapanotti is the former President of the University of Texas San Antonio SHRM Student Chapter. Joseph graduated in May and has been accepted in the graduate program at Pace University in New York City.

Good Luck Joseph!

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