Pam Ranson
MJ, Employment and Labor Law, Tulane Law School Class of 2023
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Hi! My name is Pam Ranson and I am in my final semester of the MJ-LEL Program at Tulane University's Law School. In 2020, I obtained the SHRM-CP and PHR certifications.
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I currently work for an Insurance Company as a Sr. Human Resources Generalist. My main focus is employment law and compliance. My company has employees located in all 50 states and I am responsible for staying up to date with changing laws (both federal and state). When there is a change to an existing law or a new law is passed, I communicate the information to the applicable Regional Human Resources Manager and help them comply and implement the new law.
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After graduating from Shippensburg University, where I earned a BS in Human Resources Management, I shortly realized I had an interest in employment law. For a few years, I went back and forth trying to figure out if I wanted to attend law school. I was really torn because I didn't want to put my life on pause and return to school for three years but wanted to increase my knowledge about employment law. When I learned about the MJ-LEL program, I was ecstatic about the potential opportunity to be accepted into the program. This program combines my love of human resources with my interest of the law, without having to put my life on hold or attend law school.
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During this program, I had moments when I doubted my ability to succeed. Since I only have a few years of HR experience, there were times I felt very overwhelmed with thoughts of "I'm not smart enough for this. Why did I enroll in a program that is way over my head?". Instead of letting those thoughts win, I worked harder, made sacrifices to spend extra time at the local library to listen to lectures, re-read material, and put in additional effort to assignments. Entering my last semester, I can confidently say I am happy I didn't let those thoughts win (my overall 4.0 GPA proves that statement is true!). I have noticed a huge boost in my confidence, not only with classes in this program, but at work as well. Whether it is talking about compliance related items during a meeting or simply expressing a view point/idea to co-workers, I don't feel as hesitant to speak up because I don't feel like I am not good enough. This program has truly changed my life and I will be forever grateful for the professors and opportunity to (soon) be a graduate from the MJ-LEL program.
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If I had to give future students one word of advice, it would be to try to meet the members of your cohort early into your first semester. This was a life saver for me. One of my classmates and I connected during the first semester. Not only did it allow me to have someone in my life who was experiencing similar highs and lows, but it allowed me to make a friend. A friend who I have hung out with outside of Immersion Weekend and who is one of my closest friends. She also is a wonderful connection to have in the HR field - we bounce ideas off of each other and talk through problems we see at our jobs.
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As I've mentioned above, I am forever grateful for the MJ-LEL and the knowledge I gained by completing this program. I truly think at a young point in my career, this program has opened doors for me that I am not even aware of yet and strongly encourage ALL HR professionals to enroll in this program.
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MJ-LEL Capstone Blog Post 1 © 2022 by Pamela Ranson is licensed under CC BY 4.0Links to an external site.