University of Illinois School of Labor and Employment Relations - LER

Cory and Nell connected with Tyler Micenheimer, MHRIR 08, over lunch in Effingham yesterday! Tyler is currently the Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Heartland Dental. It’s always great to see our LER alumni making an impact and staying connected.

Congratulations to Olivia! 🎉
Following her recent graduation from LER, she has started her new role as an HR Generalist at Eaton in Woodridge, IL. Wishing you all the best in this next chapter, and looking forward to seeing what you will accomplish!

Starting in Fall 2026, LER is STEM-designated. This milestone provides additional opportunities and flexibility for international students while reinforcing LER’s commitment to preparing future leaders. 🧡💙

As one of the few labor and employment relations programs with this designation, we’re proud to equip our students with a forward-thinking skill set that emphasizes the growing importance of analytics and strategic decision-making in the workplace.

We love hearing from our students as they gain hands-on experience during their internships!

Kaylee Mitchell is spending her summer with CN in Homewood, IL, and recently had the opportunity to sit in on an arbitration hearing. Keep an eye out for more summer internship spotlights!

The 2026 Hire Illini Recruiters’ Forum highlighted the impact of the LER network across the recruiting space. At the Big Ten Conference Center, LER alumni and faculty played key roles throughout the day leading sessions, delivering insights, and shaping conversations on the future of talent acquisition.

Featuring leadership from alumni Ulyssia Dennis, MHRIR 05, keynote insights from Amy Patton, MHRIR 00, and research from LER Professor Dr. Russell Weinstein, the forum showcased the continued influence of the LER community.

We were also proud to see LER alum Trish Marasigan, MHRIR 25, featured on the student/alumni panel, sharing insights on campus recruiting and celebrating her upcoming return to UIUC as Employer Engagement Coordinator for Engineering Career Services!

Great to see the LER community come together in Minneapolis! 🧡💙
From reconnecting with familiar faces to meeting new ones, the alumni social was a great reminder of the strength of our network. Thank you to everyone who joined us. We loved catching up and celebrating the LER community together!

Internship Preparation: Behind the Scenes at PepsiCo

Recorded from St. Louis, Missouri, Reese Hogan takes us behind the scenes of her first week as an HRBP Intern with PepsiCo (Frito-Lay). From attending the PepsiCo North America People’s Conference and observing grievance meetings to riding along with a Route Sales Specialist, Reese shares valuable insights and reflections from the start of her internship journey.

She also recaps Pentair’s recent “Tools to Prep for Your Internship as an Early Professional” workshop highlighting key advice for internship success: stay curious, ask questions, and build meaningful relationships.

Listen Here🔗: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7aGSS6WltoRBCf1KYVmzWJ?si=3xhLulyUTZ2l7mHNcHlHaQ

&LERn

Linda Lim, MHRIR 20, is currently working at Zoox and continues to make an impact in the HR field. Featured alongside her daughter, Aria Khoo, we love celebrating the incredible journeys of our LER alumni and their families! 🧡💙

Yamaan is spending time in San Jose as an HRBP Intern at Astera Labs, working to identify gaps in early career programs and help improve the employee experience for future talent. Along the way, he also explored incredible sights like Mount Rushmore and Yellowstone National Park on his road trip there! ✨

We’re excited to bring the LER community together in Minneapolis on May 28 for a special Alumni Social. Following the LERA Annual Meeting, this event offers a great opportunity for alumni, faculty, and staff to connect, expand their professional networks, and celebrate the strength of the LER community. We look forward to seeing you there! 🧡💙

📍Kieran's Irish Pub, Minneapolis, MN
🗓️ May 28th 5:30 - 7:30
📩 RSVP today: https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/1295012768