SHRM Florida, the Sunshine State affiliate of the Society for Human Resource Management, produces a newsletter called the Florida SHRM Newswire.
Every month, for more than 16,000 subscribers, it brings information on events, spotlights of different state districts and articles that explore the myriad facets of human resources – including some with the depth and complexity of journal papers. It’s a recurring dispatch that compliments SHRM Florida’s three-time-a-year print magazine, HR Florida Review.
For Abram Walton, professor in the Bisk School of Business and head of the Analytics and Innovation Research Committee at SHRM Florida, the Newswire offers something more: impactful student and alumni opportunities.
“Since most students aren’t looking to go into academia but do want to build their professional suite of what I call ‘resume-worthy’ experiences, I look to create opportunities that I have the ability to dole out to our students and our alumni,” he said.
For several years now, Walton has enlisted College of Business students and graduates to help tackle topics of keen interest among HR practitioners, including exploring the gap between HR practice and HR science; delving into AI’s potential impact in human resources, from the best ways to integrate it to how it can boost innovation; and using data to improve workforce retention.
The latest article, co-authored by Abram and I/O psychology Ph.D. student Alex Silverman, is an entry into the “Rethinking Quality of Work Life” series Walton launched last November. Next up will be a piece co-authored by an undergraduate business student, Taylor Mooney.
With his deep network of business contacts, including many alumni he himself has taught, Walton ensures the voices represented in these articles reflect a range of professional experiences.
That’s why, for example, reader’s saw management consultant Bob Seemer’s byline on a November 2024 article about using AI to strengthen workforce retention. Seemer ’85 MBA is a 2023 Bisk College of Business alumni award honoree.
And all of this – the story ideas, the author selection, the student guidance, the writing and editing – from Walton, who is officially “merely” a SHRM committee honcho?
The folks at SHRM Florida agreed that formal label may need a bit of informal massaging, telling Florida Tech with tongue only slightly in cheek, “Operationally, he is the Analytics and Innovation Research Committee’s chief insight orchestrator – wrangling ideas (and articles) from draft to publication, helping scholarship reach the practitioner world.”
Along the way, whatever his title, he is making an impact that will resonate with students and alumni.
“We enhance their learning environment, increase the students’ engagement, and there is a ton of mentoring and enrichment opportunities linked with these articles,” Walton said. “For these students, and for the alumni we enlist, they end up feeling even closer to their alma mater for this experience as they extend and deepen their relationships with Florida Tech.”
And the experience goes beyond the articles. Walton is able to have many of the student co-authors present at highly competitive conferences, further deepening their professional growth and highlighting another way Florida Tech prepares them to succeed.
“Through my role with HR Florida, I get the opportunity to provide worthy Florida Tech students the opportunity to network and present at top national conferences in a highly respected field,” he said. “I have seen how impactful these experiences can be and am glad to be able to bring them to deserving students.”
