Gamma Iota Sigma  Student Newsletter
April 2017   

 
In This Issue
Welcome Gamma Alpha
Industry Career Opportunities
GIS Webinar Series
Scholarship Opportunities
Insurance Jeopardy
CAS Actuarial Review Mentions GIS
RIMS NeXtGen Forum
IAIP Convention
Inter-Chapter Event
CEO Spotlight
Risk Manager in Residence Program
Alumni News
GIS Merchandise
GIS on Social Media
Amazon Smile
Quick Links


Mark Your Calendar!

View all  scholarship deadlines  and events.
Executive Committee
  Meg Allwein

President

 

Glenn Dorr

Executive Vice President

 

Jason Warden

Vice President

 

Jeff Henry

Vice President

 

John Hammond

(Immediate Past President)

 

Sabrina Hanitz

Secretary

 

Wes Griffiths

Treasurer

 

Jake Timmins

Alumni Representative

 

Jacob Galecki

Industry Representative

 

Dr. RB Drennan

Faculty Representative

 

Dr. Karen Epermanis

Faculty Representative

 

Celeste Azubuike

Student Representative

 

Sarah Rumon

Student Representative

 

Noelle Codispoti 

Executive Director

 

Welcome Gamma Alpha at Gallaudet University!
GIS Charters its 73rd Chapter!


Congratulations to our most recent chapter, Gamma Alpha at Gallaudet University. Their chartering ceremony took place on March, 29, 2017 at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. The event took place in Gallaudet University's Chapel Hall at 12:00pm ET.

More than 100 people gathered at this inspiring event. In addition to the leadership, representatives, and 28 students initiated from Gallaudet University, students, officers, and faculty from the following chapters were present: Sigma at Temple University, Tau at Howard University, Alpha Iota at St. John's University, Alpha Mu at Virginia Commonwealth University, and Alpha Omega at St. Joseph's University. There were also numerous representatives from many industry associations and organizations who showed support through their attendance and participation in the ceremony. 

Gamma Iota Sigma is thrilled to welcome its newest members! 




GIS Features Industry Opportunities:  
Don't miss out on these great opportunities, apply today!

C heck out the GIS  Career Center , the only centralized location for you to search through and apply for  internship and entry-level opportunities across the industry.   Employers can also search through student profiles, so be sure to get  your resume on there!  It's  easy:
            1. Go to the Career Center website
            2. Upload your resume
            3. Check out the posted jobs and internships
This is an exclusive benefit for Gamma Iota Sigma members  to be seen by companies and organizations who are actively recruiting and to apply for internships and jobs. Don't miss out!

Below are just a sample of some of the opportunities that await you in the Career Center. Go to 
for additional opportunities!
GIS Webinar Series
 Actuarial Insights on the Risks of Tomorrow - Automated Vehicles
Wednesday, April 12, 3:00-4:00pm EDT

Brought to you by:  Gamma Iota Sigma and the Casualty Actuarial Society

Presenter: Rick Gorvett, FCAS, MAAA, CERA, ARM, FRM, PhD

Interested in hearing about how actuarial analysis is bringing quantitative insight to one of the most talked-about emerging risks in insurance? Then participate in this session about the work of the CAS Automated Vehicle Task Force! Many new vehicles offer crash avoidance features - warnings and automatic braking - while advances in intelligent transportation systems will soon allow vehicles to communicate with one another and road infrastructure to further avoid incidents. As we move to operations where a machine responds to data it records, how will that data be handled? This session examines automated vehicle research, technological advancements and opportunities, political and legal risks, and the role of industry professionals, especially actuaries.


Did you miss a topic? You can find all of the replays here!

Assurex


Thank you to Assurex Global for providing the webinar host technology!
Scholarships Available:
Do You Need Money to Pay for School? Apply today!

There are many scholarship opportunities available for stu dents studying to pursue careers in insurance. See below for application and deadline information for upcoming opportunities. 

May 1:

May 2:


For additional scholarship opportunities visit:  http://gammaiotasigma.org/resources/deadlines/

Sign Up for Insurance Jeopardy!
Hosted by AAMGA at the GIS Annual International Conference

Join us for the AAMGA's Insurance Jeopardy, which will be hosted at the 2017 GIS Conference  in Dallas, TX! Don't miss this opportunity for friendly competition with your GIS colleagues! The event will take place in several rounds on Saturday, September 30. Build your 4-person team, and sign up online by Friday, September 8, 2017 to secure your chance to play.

Important Note: A team of four players is not required to be entirely from the same chapter. You are encouraged to form a team representing either your chapter, or a combination of chapters! Individual players may also sign up to be placed on a team (based on availability). Interested but don't have a team put together yet? Complete the form anyway to let us know of your interest! A resource bank will be provided on the GIS website in advance of the competition.
GIS Annual Conference Highlighted in CAS Actuarial Review
"CAS Participates in Student Conferences Across North America"


Tamar Gertner of the Casualty Actuarial Society published a great article highlighting the GIS Annual Conference and included some great photos of students, industry and alumni! 

RIMS NeXtGen Forum 2017
June 4-5 in Austin, Texas!



This year, RIMS has opened registration to the RIMS NeXtGen Forum to its student members. Join us in Austin, TX, from June 4-5 for this educational and networking event for young risk professionals.

This event is an opportunity to supplement your studies with practitioner insight on real-world risk management challenges, as well as meet Rising Risk Professionals who can give you career advice. You'll also learn risk management best practices and how to navigate corporate structures. The agenda offers 101 level sessions for early career professionals:

* Everything You Need to Know About Cyber Risk Insurance
* A Fresh View from the Rising Stars
* Risky Business: Navigating Risk Management Inside and Outside Your Company
* Networking Your Way to Your Next Risk Management Role

Become a RIMS Student Member to attend the NeXtGen Forum at the student rate of $99. All you have to do is submit a PDF of your transcript to [email protected] and we will activate your membership.

Visit the website to view the complete agenda, learn about the speakers and get hotel/travel information. We hope to see you there!
 
76th Annual IAIP Convention
June 15-17th in Albuquerque, New Mexico!

Plan now to attend the IAIP 76th Annual Convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico where the IAIP will influence careers, develop leaders and connect members. Educational workshops will include CE approved courses, topics focused on career development, and association management training for local leaders. Network with other professionals and vendors to take the pulse of what is happening for industry trends, share best practices, and gather new ideas to take home.

Visit the website for more information and to register today!
 
Inter-Chapter Event Opportunity!
The Deductible Dash at the Philadelphia Zoo: April 08, 2017

The Alpha Omega Chapter at  Saint Joseph's University will be hosting their 1st Annual Deductible Dash 5K at the Philadelphia Zoo on Saturday, April 8, 2017. The 5K will be a charitable event with proceeds going towards The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF), which helps communities and enriches lives by combining the collective strengths of the industry to provide grants, volunteer service and leadership.



Contact your Chapter leaders for additional details or to participate in this event!
CEO Spotlight: 
Steve DeCarlo, CEO, AmWINS Group, Inc.
Welcome to the first installment of Gamma Iota Sigma's CEO Spotlight. This month, International Student Representative Sarah Rumon interviewed the CEO of AmWins Group, Inc., Steve DeCarlo. 
Below you can find a portion of the interview. Please follow the link to the GIS website to read the entire interview. 
Name: Steve DeCarlo    
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Company: AmWINS Group, Inc.
Years at Company: 16
Years in Industry: 36
 
How did you get into the insurance industry? Why did you stay? 

I answered an ad in a newspaper for an Internal Auditor, was lucky enough to be accepted for an interview, and off I went. I had never worked in insurance. I didn't go to college for insurance. I didn't know anyone in insurance. I needed a job! As far as why I stayed: I was fortunate to have a fabulous job to start my career, and it moved me forward. 
What qualities do you consider essential to success in the industry?
To me, the successful folks are the ones who are inquisitive - those who ask, "Why?" "Why do we do it this way?" "Why can't we do it that way?"  "Have you thought about it that way?" I'm looking for inquisitive people who respect the status quo but also realize that every industry is moving forward and work to find a better way. There's an old adage that "school teaches you how to act as an individual," but in business - and insurance in particular - it's very much a team game. It's about people and relationships. You are a partner, a teammate: either with customers, insureds or coworkers. It's a team sport, and everything you do is for the team win.

Risk Manager in Residence Program at Indiana State U
Spencer Educational Foundation's Program to Give Back
Emily Cummins, Managing Director, Tax and Risk Management with the National Rifle Association participated in the Risk-Manager in Residence Program sponsored by Spencer Educational Foundation. From February 6th through the 9th, Emily visited Indiana State University, to engage with the next generation of risk professionals. 
To learn more about the program visit the Spencer Educational Foundation RMIR page
Emily visited shares her experiences with this special program below:
"February 2017 was a special time: my first-ever experience serving as one of Spencer Educational Foundation's "Risk Managers in Residence." It was a thrill to go to Terre Haute, Indiana in the role of Risk Manager in Residence for the Indiana State University Scott College of Business. The depth and maturity of the ISU students majoring and minoring in insurance and risk management truly impressed me. In fact, I met 20-year-olds more mature than many 40-year-olds!
While at ISU February 6-9, I taught five different insurance and risk management classes, ranging from introductory to advanced, and presented a business school open forum. In each class, we used actual claims and real-world risk scenarios to illustrate themes and bring the profession of risk management to life for students. In sum, it was inspirational to spend time on campus with such a motivated and diligent group of students. Professor John Liu and Director of the Gongaware Center Rebecca Wray were particularly vital to the success of my time as Risk Manager in Residence at Indiana State University this year."
More about Emily Cummins: Emily has degrees from Wake Forest University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Prior to her eleven years in-house with the NRA, Emily Cummins worked for Wachovia (Wells Fargo) and Ernst & Young. 






Alumni News
Calling All GIS Graduates! 

Alumni and alumni to be, please take a few minutes to fill out the Alumni Update Form. Help us to stay in touch with you, and keep you current and informed on all things GIS!

There are many ways to stay involved as an alumnus of GIS, and by providing your new information we can keep you informed with newsletters, e-mails and about important information and upcoming events. We look forward to watching your careers grow!

Students, please consider joining one of our alumni chapters if you are looking to continue your involvement with our organization upon graduation. Our alumni chapters are growing in current cities and expanding into new cities. We are looking for alumni who would like to be involved in starting new chapters in new locations!  

Recent Event: 

The Houston area alumni hosted an event on March 8. The group met at Axelrad Beer Garden in midtown Houston, Texas. Students from both the University of Houston's main campus and downtown campus were in attendance, joining the alumni council. Great job! Thank you for sharing your events with GIS!  Pictured below.



For more information on the GIS Alumni Council, please contact one of the regional chapter leaders below or Alumni Council President, Jake Timmins at [email protected]  or Vice President, Sabrina Hanitz at  [email protected]  for information on starting a chapter in your area! You can also visit the Alumni Council Webpage  to contact your local leaders.

GIS Online Merchandise Store
Graduation is Coming Soon! Order Today!

GIS has partnered with an online vendor to conveniently provide customized Gamma merchandise to you such as polo shirts, fleeces, pins, padfolios, table cloths, coffee mugs, and graduation stoles.

Check out the  site at the link below to order your Gamma Merchandise today!

GIS is looking forward to sharing your pictures this year with the cap toppers now available on the website!
 
The GIS Pom-Pom shirts that were so popular at the Annual Conference will be coming soon to the Merchandise Store! Stay tuned!
 

GIS on Social Media:
Please be sure to like, follow, and join! #GammaIS

Did you know that Gamma Iota Sigma is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn?
 
Share your photos and events, and f ollow us on social media to get updates on upcoming events, hear from other chapters, and get information on industry scholarships and opportunities!
 
We hope to see you on social media! 

Gamma Iota Sigma Grand Chapter on  Facebook , Instagram LinkedIn , and Twitter .


 

Remember GIS on Amazon Smile!
It's Easy and Free!
http://smile.amazon.com/  and select "Gamma Iota Sigma" where  every time you shop, GIS will receive a donation from Amazon of 0.5% of your eligible purchases with no cost to you!  

Simple, effortless and free! Thank you!

Sincerely,
  
Noelle Codispoti                                            
Executive Director                                         

Sharla Floyd
Director of Development and Strategic Initiatives

Grace Grant
Director of Chapter Services

Alyson Koehler
Director of Marketing & Communications


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