As the risk industry continues to blossom and grow, the importance of nurturing the next crop of talent is increasingly understood.
With this in mind, the risk management society RIMS presented 20 students with Anita Benedetti Student Involvement Program (ABSIP) scholarships, funding their travel and attendance to the RISKWORLD® 2024 conference in San Diego, US, this May.
The ABSIP program, which is sponsored by The Spencer Educational Foundation, recognises and rewards the achievements of the most outstanding undergraduate and graduate risk management students.
“The overwhelming success of today’s risk professionals has brought risk management to the forefront, making the profession even more appealing to college students,” says RIMS president David Arick.
“Programs like the ABSIP are critical to ensuring that these up-and-coming risk leaders are ready to dive into the profession and succeed.”
We caught up with three of the grant winners, to get their take on some of the biggest risks facing corporates today, and how the industry must evolve to be fit for the future.
WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO STUDY RISK MANAGEMENT OR THINK ABOUT GOING INTO THE RISK PROFESSION?
Owen Ticer, University of Southern California: “I grew up in an industry town, where the local economy was controlled by the price of copper, so I have always been conscious of the consequences of poor risk management.
“When I began studying at the University of Southern California, I knew I wanted to dedicate my education and career to solving the most pressing issues facing our world.
“Through USC’s risk management program, I realised that being a risk professional would allow me to get ahead of problems and take a preventative approach to addressing complex issues.”
Zuzana Nedeljakova, University of Calgary: “I initially became interested in studying risk management because it felt like the perfect balance between problem-solving in a quantitative and a qualitative way.
“Throughout my degree, I had the opportunity to network with many risk management professionals and learn about the wide range of job opportunities in the field.
“The strong sense of community in the risk management space, particularly in Calgary, further reinforced that my decision to pursue a career in this field was the right one.
“One unique aspect of the risk management profession, which I strongly value, is the flexibility to move across different roles in the space, whether from being a broker to an underwriter, or risk analyst to loss control consultant, and gain new perspectives of various risks through each transition.”
Nick Patwardhan, Mississippi State University: “Choosing to study risk management and pursue a career in the risk profession was not initially part of my undergraduate plan as an accounting major.
“However, as I progressed through my undergraduate career, I became increasingly aware of the critical role that risk management plays in today’s dynamic business environment.
“Additionally, as an international student, the fi eld of risk management represented a great opportunity to network with industry professionals.”
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