Chief People Officer Michelle Hargis Wolfe and Director of Talent Development Ashley Ingram each presented breakout sessions during the March 9 HRD (Human Resource Development) Summit, held inside the Graduate Education Building. The annual student-led event is supported by the College of Education and Health Professions.

The theme for this year's summit was Connect '24. Hargis Wolfe's presentation focused on flexible work environments. She addressed challenges and opportunities, offered practical strategies and covered considerations from a legal and human resources perspective on flexible work.

During the afternoon session, Ingram focused on how attendees can enhance the employee experience in order to attract, engage, grow and retain employees. She also serves as co-chair of the event.

"We enjoy bringing students together with local practitioners through interactive learning experiences to be able to showcase how important those connections are," Ingram said. "We are excited to be able to offer an engaging professional development and networking experience that brings our community together each year."

The summit included a keynote speech from Mandy McDonald-Brashear, vice president of global people at Walmart.

The HRD Summit launched in 2023 with a theme of "Reach and Renew." Those interested in learning more about Human Resources Development can view 2023's presentations on the HRD Summit website, and the presentations from the 2024 event will be added later this year.