George Hilliard (BBA 77),stands with Larry Cox (left) at his induction into the Ole Miss Alumni Hall of Fame on October 16, 2009. Mr. Hilliard is president and partner in the Memphis independent insurance agency, Pete Mitchell and Associates, Inc. He was honored for his achievement and service both in the insurance industry and his community.
The Risk Management and Insurance (RMI) program at Ole Miss has provided one of the more remarkable stories in the U.S. as the number of majors has grown from only 19 in 1995 to over 160 today. Over 600 students have taken an RMI course during the 2006-07 academic year.
Ole Miss has made one of the strongest commitments of any major university to the study of risk management and insurance (RMI). Founded in 1947, the program has grown from only 19 majors in 1995 to approximately 150 today. Nearly 600 students will take an RMI course this year. Majors must take at least five rigorous RMI courses plus three others from a limited list of finance courses, one of which can be an RMI internship. The vast majority of courses are taught by full-time faculty with doctoral degrees specializing in RMI. We are the only RMI program in the state with multiple faculty trained at the highest academic level and one of only two in Mississippi and contiguous states.
The faculty at Ole Miss work closely with industry to develop learning opportunities such as practitioner lectures, summer internships, and special events, including today's Symposium. Virtually all RMI graduates, except for those entering graduate schools, enter the industry and now are working throughout Mississippi and the U.S., including such insurance centers as Atlanta, Birmingham, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Nashville, and San Antonio. Over half of our recent graduates complete full-time, paid internships in the industry prior to graduation. For more information on our career placement, go to www.olemissbusiness.com/insurance.
The Ole Miss Insurance Advisory Board, composed of 25 alumni and friends of the program, meets quarterly with RMI faculty and top administrators to pursue joint activities and strategies. The Board is actively involved in planning and managing our special events, such as the annual Ole Miss Insurance Symposium and the Ole Miss Insurance Classic golf tournament. The Board also supports career development for students, intern and job placement, fund-raising, and strategic planning.
Our recent Insurance Careers Day, organized by Camille Mitchell, attracted 34 employing firms this year, attesting to the quality of our students. External organizations recognizing our students via scholarships or internships during the past year include the CPCU Society, Dixie 1752 Club, National Association of Professional Surplus Lines Offices, and Risk and Insurance Management Society. Thanks to the generosity of many alumni and friends, our scholarship endowments and gifts generated over $30,000 in RMI scholarships for the first time this year. The year was highlighted by a new scholarship endowment in excess of $100,000 created by Rita Howard of State Farm and her family in honor of her late husband, Ed, who was an underwriter with State Farm.
The faculty and administration at Ole Miss share an abiding concern that students develop the skills needed for rapid professional development in the risk management and insurance industries. Thanks to this shared vision and the active support of alumni, friends, and students, Ole Miss will be a national leader in RMI for many years to come.
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Upcoming Events!
15th Annual
Insurance Careers Day
February 9-10, 2010
Johnson Commons Ballroom
Ole Miss Campus
Ole Miss Insurance Symposium
March 24-25, 2010
Ole Miss Campus
Click here to download registration brochure!
For more information, please contact Camille Mitchell at cmitchell@bus.olemiss.edu or 662-816-6024
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