University News

Multiple WIU Students to Join the NMGZ

October 11, 2023

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MACOMB, IL - Western Illinois University Human Resource Management major Sarah Queen, Business Management major Mia Girmaldi and Marketing major Camron Anderson will join the National Millennial and Gen Z Community (NMGZ).

Queen is pursuing her undergraduate degree through Western Online while working full time as a respiratory therapist. Queen is the secretary for WIU's Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) chapter.

"As a non-traditional student, it can be difficult to network, but with NMGZ it really opens doors to do that," said Queen. "I can meet other students from all over the country, visit companies and listen to a variety of speakers. This week, I was fortunate to attend a video conference with Paul Gomez, Lululemon director of global public affairs. He answered and asked questions, and he asked the younger generations what they look for in a brand, etc. It was interesting to hear his path as well, and realizing it is not just me who has an interesting career path."

Grimaldi is pursuing her undergraduate degree at WIU while working full time at Homegoods as a store associate. Grimaldi is a part of National Honors Society and received the Presidential Award twice, along with the Graham Fath Scholarship. Grimaldi was elected to serve as a member of Phi Theta Kappa and the Society for Collegiate Leadership and Achievement.

"A core principle of business management is communication," said Grimaldi. " I think NMGZ provides amazing opportunities for not just communication, but for true connection between members, advisors and speakers alike. It builds confidence in areas, such as networking, that many of us haven't been able to access on this scale before. This not only makes the NMGZ organization stronger, but also promotes this sense of community as members venture out into their individual degrees and careers."

Anderson is pursuing his undergraduate degree at Western while helping to construct and present marketing strategies for the WIU I-Pathway study network.

Anderson also attended the ProMat Conference last year, which is a leading trade show for manufacturing and the supply chain industry.

"The most important aspect of NMGZ for me is the people I will meet through this membership," said Anderson. "Here, I will be in contact with many business professionals and fellow students all around the world and share our collective experiences and lessons together to become more informed marketers."

NMC/GenZ represents more than 44 colleges and universities in over 40 states, Washington D.C., Guam, and Puerto Rico. There are more than 800 members and alumni throughout the world. The National Millennial and Gen Z Community (NMGZ) consists of college and university students, young professionals, faculty, administrators and civic leaders who participate in multi-generational conversations with an eye towards our future. Only one to four students are accepted to NMGZ from each represented college and university. NMGZ provides opportunities for members to engage and network with each other and industry leaders from across the United States and around the world, attend conferences, as well as travel and tour various companies and meet with top executives from corporations, foundations, non-profit organizations and governmental agencies. Members also work with employees on current product development and marketing initiatives, which allow them to showcase their knowledge and skills. Through client engagements, NMGZ opens doors to potential career opportunities. Membership is free and members can attend meetings online at their convenience.

"WIU members have met with top executives from Lululemon, Coca-Cola, Cookerly, Cox Enterprises, Home Depot and Porter Novelli to name a few and found the experience 'life changing'," said Assistant Professor of Marketing and WIU Advisor for NMGZ Community Donna Wiencek. "This is a wonderful opportunity to make a difference in your life while impacting the lives of others throughout the world."

For information on becoming a NMGZ member, email Wiencek at DM-Wiencek@wiu.edu.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing