Central Michigan Life

Issue date: 3/31/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Sihang Zhang/Staff Photographer From left, Washington Township senior Julie Duda, Saline senior Courtney Wilkins and Clarkston junior Alicia Hendershot cheer for their correct answer at the Human Resources game against Western Michigan University on Saturday in Grawn 201. [Click to enlarge]

While most students look to a study guide to prepare for an exam, students majoring in Human Resources played a game of "Jeopardy!"

Dan Dunn, senior judge, said the Human Resources exam itself is quite difficult to complete.

"It's akin to an attorney taking the bar exam," he said.

Amy McGinnis, director of strategy and organizational development for Human Resources, said the exam is valued.

"(The game) covers the body of knowledge for the Human Resources exam," she said. "The other schools participating also help to foster networking."

CMU and Western Michigan University were the only two schools to participate in Saturday's event. Davenport University and Eastern Michigan University, which usually participate in the annual event, had to pull out early.

CMU had four teams and WMU had two teams, each with three people per team. The teams participated in matches throughout the morning and afternoon to reach the semifinals and determine winners at the end of the day.

"I'm disappointed more teams didn't show up," said Joshua Leadford, a Hemlock senior.

CMU's four teams had progressed to the negatives mid-day of the competition. WMU appeared to have a sure win, but CMU pulled through.

Leadford was a part of CMU's "B" team that took first place at the competition.

Another CMU team took second place, followed by one of WMU's teams in third place.

WMU Human Resources professor Jennifer Palthe said the questions were quite difficult, citing that some of the judges looked puzzled to see the answers.

"You have to have a large vocabulary for human resources," Plathe said. "And in human resources, it changes all of the time."

The exam is available to Human Resource and Business majors in order to further their careers. The majority of students are able to take the exam following graduation.

"It's a grueling test," Dunn said. "It's as difficult as or even more difficult than the GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test). One would be very pleased to pass because it's hard."

In order to do well, it is recommended to study and participate in events such as the "Jeopardy!" game.

"It's very frustrating. Very intense," Leadford said.



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