Professor Collins Honored

ILR HR Studies Professor Chris Collins, director of ILR Graduate Studies, was inducted as a fellow of the National Academy of Human Resources at a New York City gala this fall.

The honor is considered the most prestigious recognition of HR career excellence, according to “Human Resource Executive” magazine.

Collins's former students, ILR faculty, family members, HR executives and other industry colleagues honored him for his courage, candor and achievements in this video, which was played at the Nov. 9 event.

Jacqueline Welch, executive vice president and chief human resources officer of “The New York Times,” was also honored as a fellow at the event.

An academic for 25 years, Collins began at ILR in 2000 and has been the director of graduate studies since 2019. He teaches graduate-level classes in HR strategy, HR leadership, organizational consulting, design thinking, macro human resources and micro human resources.

He was also director of ILR’s Center for Advanced HR Studies for over a decade.

According to a “Human Resource Executive” story, Collins said he has studied and taught the evolutions HR has undergone in recent decades as its role as a strategic partner has grown. He also told the magazine that his view of HR’s value has shifted in recent years. “The last few years have kind of reinvigorated my focus on the employee and employee experience.”

Twenty of Collins’ research papers across various HR topics have been published in peer-reviewed journals in recent years. Twice a research project finalist for the Scholarly Achievement Award of the Human Resource Division of the Academy of Management, Collins has been a McKinsey Best Paper Award second-place winner and finalist.