EMHRM grad calls program “a really good fit”
Nick Glenn was working 100-hour weeks in private equity when he spotted the ILR School’s Executive Master of Human Resource Management program on LinkedIn.
“As a working professional and a father of four, I had to find a solution worth my commitment,” he said. “The flexibility of the cohort model on campus and online seemed like a really good fit for the demands of my life and what I was trying to do in my educational endeavors.”
He compared it to other programs, chose Cornell and says the choice rounded out his business acumen and ramped up his career.
“The shared learning experience of your cohort and the network you build is the secret sauce of this program,” said Glenn, who graduated in 2023. “Access to faculty and industry experts is incredible.”
After holding senior-level HR positions with Amazon, Spaceflight and C.H.I Overhead Doors, Glenn is now the CHRO and head of employee partnerships with the AEA Investors Small Business Private Equity Team. The team invests in the lower middle market and deploys deep employee ownership strategies within its portfolio of companies.
”I’m partnering with leadership teams within portfolio, leading with influence and collaboration," he said. “Having Cornell on a resume has been instrumental in helping me chart my path. I’ve really grown.”
The relationships Glenn built through ILR’s EMHRM program remain professional touchstones.
IBM CHRO Nickle Lamoreaux, a 2001 graduate of ILR’s undergraduate program, is “brilliant and inspiring,” Glenn said, and a resource for him as he builds his career.
Lamoreaux is among the global HR leaders who meet with EMHRM cohorts. “Those relationships are invaluable,” said Glenn, who continues to tap the expertise of ILR professors.
“We did a lot of work with Professor Chris Collins around courage, how to command a seat at the table as an HR leader. I have to be able to drive CHROS and CEOS. Chris has often been the little bird in my ear – ‘You have to be that voice of reason.’ I value his unbiased opinion.”
His EMHRM peers, HR leaders across diverse industries, galvanized as a cohort. “We leaned into each other to share collective experiences,” Glenn said, and some of those times were just plain fun.
“Watching a Cornell Hockey match, seeing a football game, hanging out at the Cornell Dairy Bar. Those on-campus sessions are the magic.”
Two years after graduating from the EMHRM program, Glenn recommends it to others. “It’s a great choice for working professionals to uplevel their careers.”