SXU Alumna Gives Back to Students Through Scholarship
Saint Xavier University (SXU) alumna Mireya Wirtz '91, '95 had such a great experience at SXU that she continues to give back to students so that they might have access to the same impactful opportunities she did.
Greatly inspired by the late Graham School of Management (GSM) professor Jim McCabe, who was well known for his kindness and generosity to his students, Wirtz donates to the Jim McCabe Scholarship in an effort to carry on his legacy and help propel service-oriented students further.
Wirtz, who earned both an undergraduate degree in business administration and an MBA from Saint Xavier, initially intended to go into finance, but McCabe's encouragement helped her to realize that she may be better suited to go into human resources (HR). Wirtz has a big personality, something that has made a great difference in her interactions with clients.
"I am a Mexican American from the Southside of Chicago, and when I was working for an animal health company, they sent me over to Japan to do some training. The Japanese professionals tend to be very reticent, but by the end of the training session, I had them rolling laughing. I was able to break through to them with my personality, and it's experiences like these that have allowed me to thrive in HR."
Wirtz will soon celebrate 30 years in HR and has taken on a variety of roles. She works closely with business leaders and serves as the expert in talent, bringing in the right talent and exiting the wrong. She also helps managers and leaders communicate good news and bad news and strives for excellence to create a positive environment for employees.
She started off in HR as a lower-level coordinator with a unionized facility. She finds that being bilingual was a huge plus in the Chicago market. After serving in several different roles and going from state to state, she is now in Kansas City, where she has been for nearly eight years.
She currently works for International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF), an American corporation that produces flavors, fragrances and personal care items. In her work with IFF, she has expanded her skill set and was recognized for her efforts in attracting people to the organization. She spends much of her time working on coaching managers and helping them to be better, stronger leaders. With 2021 hailed the 'year of the resignation,' Wirtz works to stay committed and connected to the company's employees, conducting 'stay interviews' to learn what makes a pleasant environment and how to attract, maintain and retain employees with flexibility and encouragement of success.
Wirtz credits her success in the field to her time at Saint Xavier. She took courses on compensation, organizational development, unionized business management, and more. She's even kept several of her HR textbooks, as they were such great resources, and she found her professors helped her to hone in on learning the best strategies. What she found most beneficial was learning how to stay updated on emerging trends in the field and bringing new ideas to the companies she's worked for.
While at SXU, Wirtz helped to start the first women's MBA group, dedicated to bringing more awareness for women in business. She enjoyed her time with peers and finds that the SXU mission still resonates with her today.
"Being in HR, you have to be compassionate. Even though some challenges can be thrown at you, it's important to be kind. I also support different charities and will continue to do so, and I always enjoy supporting the Jim McCabe Scholarship! I am all for supporting and mentoring SXU students," said Wirtz.
In the future, Wirtz plans to continue to move up in the HR field and is considering eventually pursuing a doctorate. She also plans to participate in webinars and conferences and is an active member of the Society for Human Resource Management.