UNIVERSITY, Miss. -- University of Mississippi athletes compete in the SEC, but the school's Insurance and Risk Management program is in the Big 8.

Business Insurance magazine's Oct. 14 issue ranks UM's program the nation's eighth largest.

Growth of a quality program has been a goal for Larry Cox, associate professor of finance and Robertson Chair of Insurance.

"I'm pleased the Ole Miss School of Business Administration's insurance program is breaking into the Top 10," said Cox.

Tom Quaka, president and CEO of Mississippi Insurance Managers Inc. of Jackson, credits the growth to Cox, whom he terms "the Barry Bonds of the local insurance community."

"Larry Cox has been a one-man show developing one of the strongest insurance programs in the country," he said.

When Cox came to campus in 1995, only 19 students were enrolled in the business school's insurance program. Today, the number of majors exceeds 80. Quaka also said UM may have the nation's only RMI program with all its graduates landing jobs in the industry.

Seven years ago, the program focused mainly on life insurance and estate planning. Today, it reflects new trends and job opportunities by emphasizing commercial property-casualty insurance and corporate risk management.

These changes have made UM a contender with other schools recognized by Business Insurance magazine as having similarly successful programs, including the University of Georgia, University of Wisconsin, and Temple and Florida State universities.

Also getting credit is the program's Insurance Advisory Board, which is made up of 25 insurance and risk management professionals who help develop strategic planning, and give guidance and industry information.

"The board members serve as mentors to students and provide internships to give them knowledge and experience," Cox said.

Another boost came with the 2001 faculty addition of Karen Epermanis, a professor with more than a decade of corporate risk management experience.

"Insurance is a people-oriented business, and Ole Miss students thrive in this area because they have excellent people skills," Epermanis said. "Companies are very impressed with our students."

Don Hurzler of Chicago, president of Zurich Middle Markets, recently spoke at the annual UM Insurance Symposium, another facet Cox and the advisory board inaugurated. He termed UM's program "impressive" and predicted its students "should prove to be leaders in the industry."

The campus symposium draws hundreds of students and insurance professionals to hear speakers from throughout the country.

Students also play a central role in the symposium, the UM Insurance Classic golf tournament fund-raiser, Insurance Careers Day and presentations to other students, Cox said.

Despite having only two full-time professors, insurance students dont lack for personal attention. "Every student knows both professors on a one-on-one basis," said Andrea Cox of Oxford. "This aids in finding appropriate jobs and internships for each individual personality."

Dean Michael Harvey termed RMI "one of the flagship programs" in the School of Business Administration.

"The success of this program sets the bar for other SBA programs, and we are ready for the challenge," said Harvey.