“The scholarships make it possible for me to attend Athens State. There is not a monstrous amount of debt, and everything is manageable now.”
If there’s an event going on around campus, chances are good that you’ll see Jeremy Boles, one of the most active members of Athens State’s student body. Jeremy has taken full advantage of the opportunity to wear as many hats as possible during his time at Athens State – he’s an Athenian Ambassador, member of the Student Government Association, vice-president of Phi Theta Kappa, president of Athens State’s Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) Student Chapter, and tutors students in a myriad of subjects at Athens State and Calhoun Community College. While he admits that all of these things keep him busy, he loves being able to network while helping other students.
Jeremy transferred to Athens State from Calhoun Community College in Decatur, Alabama. “Calhoun has such a strong relationship with Athens State that I was already thinking about transferring here after I finished my schooling there. It seemed like a really good option because it has a good reputation among the community, is highly affordable, and has a well-known business school.”
Jeremy still laughs about the day he decided to major in human resource management. He knew he wanted to pursue a career in business, but he wasn’t sure which aspect of the field would be the best fit for him. “I talked to a friend of mine, well a friend’s mother, who’s well-versed in the business world. She’s talking to me, and she goes, ‘You know, you would be really good for HR.’ And I was like, ‘What’s that?’ ‘You should look it up.’ So I look it up, and a week later I say, ‘Alright, my major is human resource management.’ She still brags about it to this day saying, ‘You know, I stood right there, and we figured out his major!’”
With limited financial support from family, scholarships have played a huge role in Jeremy’s successful college career. He has received the Presidential Scholarship, the Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship, and works as an Athenian Ambassador to help cover tuition costs as well. “The scholarships make it possible for me to attend Athens State. There is not a monstrous amount of debt, and everything is manageable now.”
Jeremy’s involvement in school clubs and activities has provided opportunities for him to meet new people and gain valuable experiences sure to impress future employers. His involvement with SHRM has given him a significant competitive advantage over other students who have chosen not to participate in the organization. Through his involvement with SHRM alone, Jeremy has been able to attend several networking events and conferences across the country, as well as receive his first internship. “It’s nice to be able to represent the University. I believe my level of involvement is a good image to project toward other peers and toward potential employers,” he said.
Jeremy offered some sage advice to prospective college students: “Don’t spend your freshman year just doing English 101 and then going home and doing nothing else. You have to be involved. One form of involvement is good, but the more you participate in without overloading yourself, the better.” Beyond stressing the value of campus involvement, Jeremy offered words of encouragement to current and future students. “Just don’t give up! You can do it! Even activities and involvement that don’t allow monetary compensation such as a scholarship are still worth it because you’re paid in opportunities and networking. Most employers want a service-minded individual, not someone that only focuses on what they can get out of something. So that’s an important factor if you’re trying to decide if you should take on some involvement. It’s not so much about everything that you can get out of it, it’s how you can help others, and that’s one of the more important factors when an employer is looking for an employee.”
After graduation, Jeremy aspires to begin his career in the human resource management field and work his way up to his dream job of Director of Human Resources. He would also like to work on a master’s degree in Industrial Psychology and potentially pursue his Doctoral Degree one day as well. With his positivity, involvement, and goal-driven mindset, there’s no doubt that Jeremy will be successful in his future endeavors.
