On February 21, 2025, the West Virginia University welcomed its Insurance symposium event, sponsored by a generous subsidy of Spencer Educational FoundationWith the presence of students through several majors and former students representing a wide range of specialties.
Students had the capacity to meet employers looking for trainees and hires of full -time graduates in insurance and risk management roles. Blue Ridge Risk Partners, Henderson Brothers, Burns & Wilcox, Northwestern Mutual and Viarris all organized stands and liked to pass morning networking with our students.
The event started with a speech by Lance Ewing, vice-president of business risk management at Cotton Holdings, which withdrew its vast experience involving casino and entertainment industries to discuss risk taking and highlighting emerging trends, including AI and extreme weather events.
The speech was followed by a round table on insurance careers and what students can bring to the table to strengthen their job potential. The panelists included notable former and volunteers from WVU Adam Dyer, the head of insurance and acquisition and president of the WV of Blue Ridge Partners; Kirk Aguirre, the main vice-president WC Large account WV & PA with ECVA insurance; Mary Klinenstiver Madurski, PAAS education manager at Verisk; and Kelsey Knotts, own WVU risks.
The global message transmitted to students was that the industry has many opportunities for recent graduates, and that solid skills and interpersonal initiatives will open the door to unlimited potential while offering a balance between professional and private life.
For Finance Majors,, Insurance and risks management is available as an accent area. For students outside the major, risk insurance and management are also available as a minor. Course offers include the introduction to insurance and risks management (end350), benefits (end452), life insurance and health (END453) and insurance against goods and damage (end454).
Kaitlin Nickasch
Teaching instructor in finance
“Let’s Talk Business” is a series of guest blogs written by members of the Chambers College community. All opinions expressed in this post are the specific authors.
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