As a Physics major in my junior year, I found myself wondering if the PhD route in Physics was the right one for me. I began exploring other options and quickly found myself enrolling in the Intro to RM&I class for several reasons. Having never taken a business class or similar classes, I was worried if I would enjoy the class. After completing the course, I can gladly say it was one of my favorites during my studies at St. Thomas. This course takes a broad view to show students from any background a succinct yet deep understanding of many corners of the RM&I world. It covers topics ranging from the history of insurance to complexities between life and health insurance versus property and casualty insurance. The highlight of this course was the speakers that were regularly brought into class. I had never experienced a course that offered as many opportunities to ask professionals in each of their own niches of the RM&I world questions. This ultimately led to my job as an Inside Broker at Risk Placement Services.

Before diving into my post-graduation experience at RPS, I need to acknowledge another amazing aspect of this course. The RM&I Course Scholarship (funded by industry donations) that is offered to encourage enrollment in this course. I am deeply grateful to those who continue to provide scholarships to students for enrolling in this course. This is a unique opportunity that goes without saying is an incredible incentive to begin exploring a new industry. I highly encourage students to enroll in this course and apply for the scholarship, as the curriculum, guest speakers, and instructor make it an exceptional experience

In this class, I was introduced to many professionals in the industry, one of whom is now my manager at RPS. I engaged with Brandon Goodin during the Q&A section and added him on LinkedIn, simply seeking a good connection. I made enough of an impression for him to invite me to apply and interview for a position at RPS. I have only been working here for a handful of months, but I have already taken tremendous strides forward in my understanding of not only the industry, but my specific role, which is all built on the baseline knowledge I gained from the Intro to RM&I class. As I continue to learn more and more, I am also joining an early-career training program called the Producer Development Program, where I will be taught even more insurance industry knowledge alongside how to communicate effectively and ultimately get deals done. I couldn’t be more grateful for the community at RPS, as I have found support from my colleagues every single day. As I look ahead, I plan to complete the Producer Development Program and move into a Commercial Lines Producer role, where I’ll begin directly contributing to my team’s growth.

As someone who came from a non-business background, I was nervous there would be difficulties for me in this industry, but I have never run into a more supportive and encouraging work environment. If you get a career in the RM&I industry you will hear from many of your colleagues that they “fell into insurance” and have stayed since. This industry yields great opportunity to those who are willing to give it a try. I encourage anyone who is interested to take the Intro to RM&I course and see what RM&I has to offer!