Spencer Grants sends 28 students to RIMS ERM Conference, paving a path for their future careers

When embarking on a new career, having the opportunity to attend educational and networking events can be a valuable differentiator in a budding profession.

Earlier this week, 28 university students had just that opportunity when they attended the RIMS ERM Conference 2019 in New Orleans, thanks to Spencer Educational Foundation grants, which funded the students’ travel, accommodations, and event registration. Established in 1979, Spencer helps support the education of next-generation risk and insurance professionals and has awarded 1,141 scholarships and $4.1 million in grants to universities and professional institutions to-date.

“Spencer identified RIMS ERM Conference as an incredibly valuable learning experience that exposes students to next-level risk management practices,” Megan Miller, executive director at Spencer, said in a statement. “Our Foundation prides itself on creating opportunities to prepare students for real-world risks and real-world expectations. We are thrilled to provide financial support to these exceptional students.”

At the conference, the students had access to education, networking, and sessions featuring business and ERM leaders who shared their experiences implementing and sustaining an enterprise risk management approach.

Devon Goolsby, a grant recipient and student at Appalachian State University, says she enjoyed the opportunity to network and spend time with her peers from other universities while at the RIMS ERM Conference, as well as attending and learning from a few of the conference’s break-out sessions. “Overall, meeting industry professionals who believe and support students … is always one of the most influential and educational parts of any conference,” she explains.

What does the next generation want in an insurance career/?

Especially at a time when the insurance industry is beginning to apply more focus on recruiting generation Z, it’s great to see young talent consider insurance and risk management as a career.

Spencer Grant recipient Jasmine Klein, a senior at the University of Southern California, was introduced to ERM shortly after the school launched its risk management program. After taking a course, she decided to stick with the field. She then landed an internship at Navigators in their excess casualty division and then pursued an internship at Marsh, where she accepted an offer to return in a full-time position following her graduation in the spring.

For her, companies that offer new professionals a track or rotational program at the start can be a great way to get talent through the door “because they don’t know the area they want to specialize in yet. [At Marsh], I will be in one segment one year and another the second year,” which will allow her to learn different areas before settling into one niche or specialty.

Goolsby says she was inspired to pursue an education in risk management and insurance “because of the opportunity to go into an industry that provides support during a potential time of loss … Risk management is everywhere in the world, and being a small moving part in that seemed like an abundance of opportunity,” she continues.

Helping individuals and companies with their risk management needs is why Goolsby also plans to enter the retail sector following graduation, where she can work directly with clients and explain to them the value of sound risk management and insurance strategy — something that’s often lost by those outside the industry.

When choosing potential employers, Klein says work flexibility and equality are priorities to her generation of incoming professionals. Work from home schedules, collaborative work atmosphere, and being treated as equals by all levels of the organization are top qualities new professionals look for in prospective employers because “it shows that companies are committed to young talent,” she explains.

For more information about the Spencer Educational Foundation, visit its website.

Find a list of the grant recipients and their respective universities below:

• Appalachian State: Devon Goolsby and Megan Moreno
• Florida State University: Alex Factor and Rachael Gunter
• Georgia State University: Analucia Pajares and Victoria Trainer
• St. John’s University: Catherine Caracappa, Dylan Hawxhurst, Aba Dane Joseph, Chul Hyung Lee, Juan Carlos Merlo and Wei Qian
• St. Mary’s University: Olivia Bachelet, Bianca Hernandez, Julia Kheiv and Fernanda Sandoval
• Temple University: Kushal Parikh and Divya Pawar
• University of Georgia: Anna Baker and Natalie Hirsch
• University of Southern California: Austin Gumins and Jasmine Klein
• University of Wisconsin-Madison: Aina Athirah Ab Latip, Nakul Arora, Sarah Arshad, Will Brown, Marissa Fowler and Jonathan Korger

Related: 

• The best insurance workplaces for millennials 
• Wellness programs are a must for younger professionals
• Gen Z will transform the workplace — are employers ready

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