HR Student Spotlights

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Bailey Brunelle

Bailey Brunelle is familiar with Texas life, having grown up in Austin before making the move to UNT. His eagerness to help and guide those around him led him to pursue HR, and he found that the field presented a wide range of opportunities. He also enjoyed how HR allowed him to make a difference in people’s lives and escape the cycle of performing the same tasks every day.

Bailey is very open to the new experiences and daily challenges that HR work brings, and this ambition is reflected in his quick succession to Store Manager at Tiff’s Treats despite having been with the company for only two years. Academically, he appreciates how UNT’s robust, well-rounded Business curriculum offers insight into multiple fields and career opportunities. His placement on the G. Brint College of Business’ Dean’s List in 2020 further demonstrates his work ethic, drive, and desire to be a leader.

Although Bailey did not complete a traditional internship, he was able to earn credits and immerse himself in a real-world workspace as a Store Manager. There, he practiced HR principles through facilitating hiring and termination processes and personnel administrative tasks. He is routinely putting in the motivation, dedication, and honesty that this job requires, and as he continues to learn and apply himself, he plans to utilize these skills to advance to a corporate position in the future.

Bailey recommends that other HR students work on building confidence, make proactive efforts to meet people, and take initiatives to make a strong impression. He suggests asking professionals questions about your field of interest, and also encourages others to utilize UNT’s countless opportunities for career and academic advancement.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/baileybrunelle

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Catherine Carr

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Catherine Carr is from Kingwood, Texas, a community just northeast of Houston. She pursued
HR at UNT hoping to influence the future and culture of organizations and improve lives by
advocating for employee-centric policies. Catherine strongly believes that empathy is the most
important characteristic of a good HR professional.

Catherine currently works at BSBD Insurance Group as an Employee Benefits Intern. There,
she is applying her classroom studies to professional, real world scenarios. She expresses the
importance of relationship building and proactivity in cultivating an empowering, successful
environment. Fostering meaningful relationships with clients, employees, and fellow
community members helps to develop professional and personal growth.

This past February, Catherine was invited to speak at UNT’s highly anticipated HR
Collaborative series: The Future of Work– The New Normal. She shared her experience
interning at BSBD and the substantial benefits internships have on young professionals
entering the workforce. In the near future, Catherine aims to be a corporation’s Chief Culture
Officer in order to align its values, objectives, and daily practices, and show her employees their
contributions to the organization’s fundamental goals.


Whether you need career guidance or academic help, Catherine recommends that all freshmen
HR students meet with and seek advice from their professors whenever possible. She finds
that UNT’s educators and advisors genuinely want to help and share wisdom with students
new to the HR field!

linkedin.com/in/catherinecarr00

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Dayosola Aje

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Dayosola Aje is an UNT transfer who calls Nigeria home, having initially fostered an interest in
business while interning at an engineering company there. After coming to UNT and enrolling
in foundational HR courses, she quickly became immersed in the field. In her time with HR,
Dayosola, who already loved to help and interact with the communities around her, learned
that people are a company’s greatest asset.


In 2021 she began her internship at Vineyard Vines, working closely with the HR department.
She found that her interest in HR only increased as she closely communicated with her
coworkers and leaders, and she enjoyed flexing her creative muscle by creating event posters
and newsletters. As COVID-19 transformed the workplace, Dayosola learned the process
behind contact tracing, which taught her valuable problem-solving skills.


Getting involved with MS-HRM also helped to fuel Dayosola’s passion for meaningful aid. In
2022, she was accepted to two reputable MS-HRM programs that currently allow her to
exercise strategies for supporting people and the company overall. Dayosola strives to
cultivate a welcoming, safe, and pleasant workplace for herself, her coworkers, and her future
employees.


Dayosola advises students to join SHRM and take advantage of UNT’s many complimentary
services like the Career Center. The experts there aided her with drafting the resumes and
cover letters that secured two internships, while the Writing Center assisted with creating an
application for her Master’s Program. Furthermore, Dayosola commends SHRM’s countless
opportunities to find job offers and peers with diversified interests, especially as a transfer
student. She was inspired by a recent alumni career panel, where professionals gave her
multiple notes and a glance into what her post-graduation life may look like.

linkedin.com/in/dayosolaaje

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Paige Newcomb


Paige Newcomb decided to pursue HR at UNT in 2018, making the journey to Denton from Austin, Texas. Selecting this major was a natural choice, since her mother was a HR generalist and thoroughly familiarized her with the field from a young age. Paige was also drawn to HR’s far-reaching, integral nature in many corporations, which ensured that she would always have the freedom to work in a multitude of industries.


Paige diligently served as the Vice President of Risk Management for Pi Beta Phi before her promotion to Chapter President in 2021. This notable position allowed her to engage in effective teamwork on a local and regional level, ensure her coworkers’ wellbeing, and practice strong leadership.


In January 2022, Paige accepted the role of Human Resources intern with the Texas Rangers Baseball Club. She significantly contributed to the company’s vocational student outreach by introducing Handshake to their recruitment manager. Paige enjoys working with her team and appreciates the abundance of learning and hands-on experience. She also values the opportunity to explore connections between HR, corporate operations, and the baseball industry.


Although Paige was not directly involved in SHRM, she expresses gratitude to the SHRM advisors who reduced the stress of job hunting by consistently supplying new career opportunities for HR students like herself. After graduating, Paige expects to transition to law school where she plans to implement her HR background through practicing employment law.


Paige encourages fellow students to branch out from their comfort zones and seek internships during their final years in college. Although they may initially seem intimidating, she found that they are incredibly beneficial in the long run.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paige-newcomb