The Master of Science in Human Resources program at Western Carolina University has been instrumental in my personal and professional growth. Through the program, I embraced numerous opportunities that challenged and sharpened my skills. With the guidance of MSHR professors, I transitioned from completing assignments to presenting research at esteemed conferences such as the AHRD conference in Washington, D.C., and the EAM-I conference in Taipei, Taiwan. These experiences have broadened my horizons, providing unforgettable global exposure. Moreover, hands-on HR consulting experiences under Dr. Germain's mentorship have been invaluable, leading me to assume the role of Project Manager for the advanced consulting course. The program's focus on relational, strategic, operational, and ethical HR leadership has equipped me with a well-rounded skill set, directly benefiting my current role at Osada Construction. The unwavering support from professors like Dr. Germain, Dr. John, Dr. Minnis, and Dr. Lekchiri has been a cornerstone of my journey, fostering a deep passion for the field of Human Resources. I am hopeful that WCU will continue to expand its HR curriculum, potentially offering a doctoral program that I and many of my peers would eagerly pursue.
In 2017, Lieutenant Junior Grade Margaret Gresham who now currently works as a Civil
Engineer in Cary, NC, and serves in the Navy Reserves as a Civil Engineering Corps
Officer had an opportunity to completely shift gears in her career. She was feeling
unfulfilled in the engineering discipline and craved a career in which she could have
a greater impact on the nation's most valuable asset: its people. A position to
serve as an Officer recruiter became available in Durham, NC. She had never worked
in the recruiting space. As anxious as she was about stepping out of her comfort zone,
she was willing to take a risk and put in the effort to thrive in the HR industry
to impact an organization (the Navy) that she loves.
During the following two years, LT Gresham became one of the top recruiters in the
nation, receiving a Recruiter of the Year award for the east region in 2019, 2020,
and 2021. As she excelled in her new role, it became evident that this was the community
she wanted to continue to serve within the United States Navy. To accomplish this
goal, LT Gresham needed to make herself a competitive candidate, which would require
a master's in Human Resources and some professional certifications.
She started the MSHR program at Western Carolina in January 2020. In her very first
semester, she took HR 605 and HR 614. These two courses changed her life forever.
As she read page after page of text, Margaret fell more in love with HR as a discipline.
It became evident that it was her calling in life. Over the next two years, she threw
herself into her studies while working. To date, LT Gresham has assisted over 100
Navy Officers in joining various communities ranging from chaplains, civil engineers,
pilots, intelligence officers, cryptologic warfare officers, surface warfare officers,
JAGs, and many more.
In 2020, because of her HR670 coursework, she presented a research paper on Leadership
in the US Navy at the Association of Human Resource Development with the help of a
class team and Dr. Germain as her advisor. In 2021, as a result of Dr. Lekshiri's
Performance Development course, LT Gresham developed a performance management system
for officer recruiters that has now been implemented across 13 districts in the Eastern
region of the United States, impacting more than 250 officer recruiters. In June
2021, LT Gresham obtained her SHRM-CP certification, and in October 2021 her PHR.
With these achievements under her belt, it was time for the ultimate test. In September
2021 she applied for the very competitive position of Human Resource Officer in the
United States Navy. Subsequently, she was one of only 10 in the nation to be selected
for this role.
Margaret will soon be picking up a department head tour in Washington D.C where she
will serve as a Human Resources officer serving the Navy full time. She will be able
to lead and manage a department of over 300 people working in the Human Resources
field. Her leadership and work will impact programs that will be implemented across
the Navy, which serves over 450,000 military personnel and over 280,000 civilians.
Margaret feels that the Master of Science in Human Resources program at Western Carolina
University changed her life. Thanks to it, she will be able to change thousands of
other people's lives through the HR community.
2019 Graduate Commencement Speaker
Since I graduated in 2019, I was promoted from an HR Manager to a Senior Manager,
Talent Management. During that time I've led performance management, learning and
development, and engagement and inclusion for a $4B business segment of more than
13,000 employees. One of my key accomplishments was leading a company-wide project
team to design and deploy two leadership development programs - one online and another
instructor-led - for more than 5,000 managers across the enterprise. Most recently,
I am in the process of transitioning to a new role with another company. I'll be starting
as the HR Director leading HR, talent acquisition, and benefits for a business unit
with international scope in the defense industry.
Regional HR Business Partner, Aprio
Following the completion of my MSHR in 2018, I advanced my scope of work and experience
in my former HR Generalist positon. I recently accepted the position of Regional HR
Business Partner for a growing organization in the professional services industry.
I'm confident the MSHR program helped to shape my strategic HR thought process, which
is what set me apart from other applicants. I'm looking forward to continuing my growth
path and this new endeavor.
William Stadler's career has spanned diverse disciplines, from technical design engineering to software sales and coaching. However, his true passion lies in Human Resources. This led him to pursue a Master's in HR from Western Carolina University (WCU) in 2016. Since then, he has successfully built and established HR departments in various industries, including manufacturing, marketing, and software.
William credits his ability to align strategic HR with business and client needs to the consulting coursework in WCU's MSHR program. This training equipped him with the skills to analyze complex challenges and deliver impactful solutions.
A highlight of his career was fulfilling his dream job as an HR Business Partner at Red Hat, where he focused on strategic people and organizational development. Currently, William serves as a Global HR Leader at Google, attributing his success to the strong foundation he built through the MSHR program. The consultative approach and strategic HR thinking, which are the capstones of the program, are still essential to his job today.
He firmly believes that authenticity is key in Human Resources, a principle instilled in him through his consulting coursework. This value guides every interaction, every strategic initiative, and every decision he makes in his professional journey.
EVP & Chief of Staff, Tupelo Honey, Asheville
As a graduating member of the MSHR community from the class of 2015, I am pleased
to share my post-graduation story. Shortly after graduation, I joined Asheville, NC
based Tupelo Honey Hospitality as the founding HR team member where I’ve spent the
past 7 years building at world-class people-centric organization. I am very pleased
to share a few exciting announcements to culminate the last 7 years of hard work.
This past January 2020 I was awarded the OnCon Icon Award as - Top 25 HR Professional. Award Winners were determined from over 4,500 votes,
and selection based off of a peer recognition of performance, impact and contributions.
Winners represent many of the most senior leaders from the world’s top organization.
Perhaps even more exciting in February of 2020 my organization, Tupelo Honey, was
awarded the 2020 Best Places to Work Award issued by the Business Intelligence Group, as voted on by our team members. I am so appreciative of the solid foundation for
HR Leadership and business acumen that my professors, peers, and community through
the WCU MSHR program provided me and am looking forward with much anticipation and
excitement for the future of our company, as well as the many companies who will benefit
from the past and future graduates of the MSHR program at WCU.
Alex Hall is currently the AVP & Sr. Director for Learning and Talent Services at Liberty Mutual Insurance based in Boston, MA. In this role, Alex oversees the company's enterprise-wide early talent development programs, digital products, project management office, and learning delivery teams for Global Leadership, Learning, and Talent. Alex's experience has included compensation design, succession planning, competency model development, performance management, and talent planning. Alex has held roles in program management, strategic planning, and now operational leadership, Throughout his tenure at Liberty Mutual, Alex completed his Master's in HR and will complete his MBA and Master's in Finance with Northeastern University in August of 2022. Passionate about hiking, running, and spending time with friends, Alex and his partner, Adam, live in the South End of Boston and travel often. Alex continues to be engaged with our program providing counsel to HR consultants and continues to serve on our MSHR program advisory board. Alex was an active pro bono HR consultant for the MSHR Consulting Initiative, a service for which he received the WCU Peak Performer award in 2015.
The MSHR Consulting Course at WCU has been one of my most favorite courses in the program.
I love the hands-on experience and it gave me the confidence to see that I can achieve
any of my goals as a human resource professional. Katelyn Kasper, MSHR Class of Fall 2018
One of my favorite courses within WCU’s MSHR program was HR 671.
You gain not only the confidence and know how to address a nonprofit’s needs and concerns, but valuable
HR experience and professional contacts that will help you with future work endeavors post-graduation. Brittany Noll, MSHR Class of Fall 2018