Three students in the College of Business recently received external awards and recognition for their efforts involving risk management and insurance.
The Anitta Beneditti Student Involvement Program (ABSIP)
Only 30 Anitta Beneditti Student Involvement Program (ABSIP) awards are given in the U.S. and Canada each year by the Risk Management Society. Each university is limited to two nominees, and it is rare for a single institution to have two recipients in the same year.
The College of Business is exceedingly proud of both our student recipients.
- Alex Coffin, senior finance and financial planning major
- Jasmine Pennington, senior risk management and insurance major
ASBIP recipients receive a generous travel stipend and conference registration for the RIMS national conference and conference registration for the nominating professor.
Additionally, ASBIP scholars will receive mentorship, participate in stimulating conference sessions, and gain valuable career development skills. They also will network with members of the SAC (practicing risk professionals), RIMS Board of Directors, insurers, brokers and other industry professionals.
To be considered for this recognition, students must be nominated by a professor or department head and are evaluated on a point system. This includes an essay, coursework, grades, resume and application. Sandra Meyers, a per-course instructor in the finance and general business department, nominated our MSU recipients this year.
“Being selected is not only a huge accomplishment, but a great opportunity for my future career,” said Pennington.
She will be pursuing her MBA at MSU after graduating in May.
The President’s CPCU Scholarship
The Institute’s Risk & Insurance Knowledge Group offers 100 scholarships in the United States Annually. The Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation program is a way to give back to the industry and encourage the pursuit of professional development.
The College of Business is proud to have two recipients this year:
- Alex Coffin, senior finance and financial planning major
- Danielle Bohannon, senior marketing and sales management major
“Only 3-5% of people in the property and casualty side of the insurance industry have completed their Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter designation,” Bohannon said. “Taking these courses and exams will help me stand out. I am so thankful.”
The scholarship covers an estimated cost of $4,000 for:
- CPCU textbooks
- Course guides
- SMART Study Aids (includes Flash Cards and Review Notes)
- Matriculation and exam fees
To be eligible, students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher and be nominated by a department head/chair, college dean or president. Dr. Jeff Jones, department head for finance and general business, nominated our MSU recipients this year.
“The success of these students can be attributed to the hard work on the part of the students and RMI faculty,” said Dr. Jones.
Alex Coffin recognized with both honors
Alex Coffin is recognized with both the ABSIP award and CPCU scholarship in 2020.
“I was so excited when I got the news, I started jumping up and down in Glass Hall,” said Coffin. “It’s extremely rewarding to be recognized for all the hard work I’ve put in.”
Coffin knows he wouldn’t have been able to succeed without the support from his parents, Sandra Meyers, Russell Meek or Dr. Jeff Jones.
The CPCU will help distinguish Coffin as an outstanding risk professional because a large number of people don’t earn this designation. The RIMS Conference will allow him to make connections and create relationship critical to career growth.
“I hope to carry this success into the rest of the year,” said Coffin.
Coffin will be an associate account manager for Lockton Companies in Kansas City, Missouri. He will be in a 1-2 year program that shows new hires the ins and outs of being an account manager.
About Gamma Iota Sigma
Pennington, Bohannon and Coffin learned about these scholarship and honorary opportunities through the campus organization, Gamma Iota Sigma (GIS).
The Alpha Lambda chapter of GIS is the international risk management, insurance and actuarial science fraternity at MSU.
They host meetings with guest speakers in the industry, fundraisers, community service events and social events every month. The chapter also attends the Annual GIS International Conference and visits local companies each year.