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The Vaughan Institute
February 2024 Update
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Working together to inspire and equip the next generation of Risk Management and Insurance leaders to make the world safer, smarter, and more secure. | |
Welcome to the Vaughan Institute's update. Below you'll find our shared accomplishments and upcoming activities. If you or a colleague would like to become more involved at the Institute as a speaker, mentor, or project liaison, please reach out to Jim Lewis or Camille Bonar for more information. We look forward to collaborating with you! | |
Key Performance Indicators | |
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230 Students in the RMI Program - Growth Factor of 256% from 2022-2023
- 180 Students enrolled in the RMI Major
- 50 Students enrolled in the RMI Certificate
- 49 Students participating in Gamma Iota Sigma
- 14 Guest Speakers during Spring Semester
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Innovation in Risk Management | |
Watch this short interview on the Vaughan Institute, our strategic partnership with the Global Insurance Accelerator (GIA), the role of AI, and what lies ahead, featuring Tippie College of Business Dean, Amy Kristof-Brown. | |
UI Deploys New Insurtech Platform for Innovation with Strategic Partner, the Global Insurance Accelerator | |
January 11th launched the Global Insurance Accelerator's (GIA) 2024 cohort. The cohort spent the day at the GIA office in Des Moines innovating with Lynn Allendorf and Elizabeth Hallgren from the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center at the University of Iowa. Through our strategic partnership, a new platform for insurtech product-market fit that includes advanced customer discovery methodology was created. "This worked fantastic" commented Dan Israel, GIA Managing Director. "I've seen many other tools from other programs, but this was so relevant and much better" added one of the founders from Dubai. Our Enterprise Risk Management students will also be working on class projects for two GIA companies this spring. | |
Real-World Experiential Learning | |
Class Projects for the Spring Semester | |
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This semester, we are excited to be working with the following companies on experiential projects in our Enterprise Risk Management course.
ACORD - Identify top performers among European-based insurance companies and assess the capability imperatives required for superior results
Cottingham & Butler - Evaluate all aspects of the dairy processing market segment (underwriting, claims, loss prevention, coverage analysis, etc.)
Cybercade - Research related to quantifying and mitigating cyber security risks attributed to the human element
HUB International - Create the Insurance Brokerage of the Future: Evaluating the impact of "AI" and "InsurTech" Solutions
Invive - Analyze and develop a comprehensive commercialization strategy for the company’s epigenetic tests in the insurance industry, focusing on life insurance, health insurance, and employee benefits
ViClarity - Narrow down specific use cases for insurers by identifying and evaluating pain points in ERM/Compliance
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This spring we will be hosting 13 guest speakers in our classes and Gamma Iota Sigma meetings.
A special thanks to this semester's guest speakers:
- Jessica Boyle-Roberts, Northwestern Mutual
- Traci Clarke, Worley
- Global Insurance Accelerator 2024 Cohort Demo Day
- Jason Gross, Manchester Story
- Hayley Jensen, Transamerica
- Jeff Meyerhofer, Optum
- Kevin Miller, Cottingham & Butler
- Nick Napolitano, Willis Towers Watson
- Aaron Warner, ProCircular
- Bryan Falchuk, Insurance & InsurTech Advisor & Thought Leader, Best-Selling Author & Speaker
| Watch this great video above of Bryan Falchuk discussing innovation and the future of insurance to approximately 220 of our Risk Management students. | |
Our Gamma Iota Sigma chapter and Vaughan Institute students will be participating in two separate case competitions this semester, the Global Insurance Symposium Case Competition and Florida State University's Intercollegiate Insurance Sales Challenge.
Thank you to our fantastic case competition mentors!
- Barbie Garton, Principal
- Jace Glenn, Cottingham & Butler
- Jason Gross, Manchester Story
- Jeff Lorenzen, American Equity
- Meredith Ringel-Ensley, University of Iowa
- Fred Skiff, University of Iowa
- Dean Walstrom, United Fire Group
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RMI Students Attend National Gamma Iota Sigma Conference | | |
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This past fall, Gamma Iota Sigma’s national conference was held in Baltimore, MD. The Vaughan Institute took three students to the event to participate in a myriad of RMI-focused seminars, chapter leadership, a career fair, and an Oriole’s game. | | |
Join Us and Our Students At These Upcoming Events | |
Vaughan Institute Executive Director, Jim Lewis, will be speaking Thursday, March 7th from 8:30 AM - 9:25 AM on a Talent Recruitment Panel Discussion. | |
Risk Theory Society Seminar | |
The Vaughan Institute is proud to be hosting the annual Risk Theory Society Seminar at the University of Iowa. The Risk Theory Society Seminar will take place April 19th– 21st, 2024, and will allow scholars and faculty in the field of Risk Management and Insurance to collaborate, present, and critically discuss new scholarships. We look forward to hosting these renowned experts on campus. | |
Save the Date 8/22/24 - 18th Annual Vaughan Institute Golf Outing | |
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Mark your calendars - the 18th Annual Vaughan Institute Golf Outing will take place August 22nd, 2024. This is a great opportunity to collaborate with industry partners, meet some of our best and brightest students, and support the Vaughan Institute over a round of golf! Last year’s outing was a hit with around 20 student participants and 22 foursomes. We hope to top last year’s numbers this coming August! Keep your eyes peeled for registration information in the coming weeks. For more information contact camille-bonar@uiowa.edu.
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Career Readiness and Employment Opportunities | |
Whether it’s experiential projects, internships, speaker series, or career fairs, we hope to give students a range of experiences to foster their sense of professional identity and aid in their career-preparedness. | |
Each fall, the Vaughan Institute partners with the Pomerantz Career Center to host the Actuarial Science and RMI Career Fair. This past fall’s career fair was of the upmost success, with over thirty companies from RMI industries participating in internship and full-time role placements. | |
Faculty Spotlight - What's Meghan Esson, PhD up to?
What are your current research interests?
Most of my research focuses on how asymmetric information impacts healthcare (either utilization or delivery) in the US. One current project (that falls outside of this space) is looking at how changes in cost uncertainty impact hospital investment decisions. Specifically, my co-author and I are looking at whether a decrease in cost uncertainty causes hospitals to invest in infrastructure (e.g., trauma centers, women’s health, etc.) and the subsequent health outcomes.
What would you tell someone new to the field of Risk Management and Insurance?
There is so much more to this field than you can imagine. The stereotype of insurance of Jake from State Farm isn’t correct (although you can certainly do that if you’re interested in it!).
When you’re not researching or teaching, what can we catch you doing in your free time?
I have a mini-Australian shepherd puppy, so it is very likely that I am playing with her! Otherwise, I’m cuddled up with my kitties reading a book.
What most excites you about the Vaughan Institute?
The opportunities for students! There is so much that the Vaughan Institute can offer: from scholarships to specialized networking events, it’s just an incredible resource.
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Meghan's bio can be found here. | | |
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The First 8 RMI Majors Graduate
Please join us in congratulating the Vaughan Institute’s first cohort of graduates with a Risk Management and Insurance major! We know that the Vaughan Institute has prepared these students well, and we wish them the best of luck on their next endeavors. A few of the grads were gathering at an end of the year celebration.
· Dominic Bianchi
· Will Corbin
· Tom Jendra
· Riley Kienitz
· Charlie Meyers
· Zach Morel
· Gabrielle Steiner
· Madilynn Klauer
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The Insure Your Future program was initiated in 2023 with a focus on introducing freshmen and sophomores in the state of Iowa to the RMI industries. Developed by Vaughan Institute Advisory Board member, Michael Gould of the Iowa Economic Development Association, the program provides students with insights into a new industry, scholarship opportunities, and engaging leadership development curriculum. With over 27 participating companies and 70+ freshmen and sophomores from the state, the program was a hit in its inaugural year. The University of Iowa was home to 30 of 70 participants and received great student and corporate feedback.
Take a look at the scholarship winners - 3 out of 5 from the University of Iowa at the Iowa Insurance Hall of Fame last fall.
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Know a college freshman or sophomore still looking for a summer internship?
Check out Insure Your Future!
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Speed Networking with the Advisory Board | |
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Thank you to our Vaughan Institute Advisory Board Members for another successful collaborative innovation session! We want to give special recognition to our new members who joined us this past fall:
- Brad Dyslin, Aflac
- Kyle Lattina, Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield
- Jeff Lorenzen, American Equity
- Stephani Manning, Innovative Captive Strategies
- Cory McAnelly, Principal Financial Group
- Tanya Wentzel, EMC Insurance
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Vaughan Institute in the News | |
Click photo for a link to the article. | Click photo for a link to the article. | |
Thank you to our loyal Vaughan Institute Donors!
We extend our gratitude to Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield for their recent generous support of the Vaughan Institute Leadership Excellence Fund. Their contribution to the Vaughan Institute for Risk Management and Insurance will be instrumental in fostering talent, facilitating experiential learning, and driving cutting-edge research within the industry. This partnership strengthens ties between our college and a longstanding industry leader, ensuring a bright future for the institute and the insurance sector in Iowa. We deeply value Wellmark's commitment to preparing future leaders and eagerly anticipate our continued collaboration.
If you'd like to learn more about supporting the Vaughan Institute of Risk Management and Insurance at the University of Iowa Henry B. Tippie College of Business, please don't hesitate to reach out. Together, we can ensure a bright future for our students and the industry as a whole. Contact jim-lewis@uiowa.edu to find out how you can make a difference.
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