Insights

Discover what fellow risk managers took away from their attendance at the 2022 Annual Conference.                                                                                                                    

Scholarship recipients (left to right): Jill Bautista, Bill Knight, Jolyn Osborne, Jeremy Lambeth, Jody Sykes, Michelle Bogden Muetzel, and Sytovia Dunn (not pictured Carrie Frandsen and Cathy Krane)

Q. What was most valuable about your annual conference experience?

The most valuable part of my experience at the annual conference was meeting other risk management professionals. I have made connections that I know will be invaluable throughout my career. I am relatively new to the university risk management field, having worked in corporate insurance for most of my career, and I was both surprised and grateful to find such an open and collaborative community. - Cathy Krane, Director Enterprise Risk Management, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK

The annual conference was incredibly valuable on many fronts, but the most impactful for me was the feeling of becoming a part of the URMIA community. It was a conference unlike any I’ve ever been to before. Everyone was so friendly, engaging, and approachable. It made it easy to feel like you’re really a part of something larger than yourself or your institution, and that you aren’t alone in your struggles or the situations you face in university risk management. This experience gave me more confidence in my new role as a solo risk manager. - Michelle Bogden Muetzel, Risk Manager, University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, Oshkosh, WI

Q. Describe an “ah-ha” moment for you during the conference.

My "ah-ha" moment was when I was in a session about being a department of one. I found my TRIBE!!! We were able to talk about our struggles being the only risk managers trying to balance our responsibilities and mitigate risk. - Jody Sykes, Risk Manager, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC

I loved Julie Groves’ theme of “you are not alone.” That was my overall takeaway from the conference: I am not alone and others are experiencing the same risks and challenges as my school and my team. URMIA provides us with a forum, network, and resources to collaborate on them together. - Jill Bautista, Chief Compliance & Risk Officer, The University of Akron, Akron, OH

Q. What motivated you to apply for an URMIA conference scholarship?

Being new in this role, I want to take advantage of every opportunity afforded to me to learn as much as I can. I saw this as an opportunity to ensure I would be able to attend the URMIA conference if I applied and was selected. Being able to learn and bring back fresh ideas to campus is a great opportunity. - Jolyn Osborne, Risk Management and Insurance Manager, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN

URMIA is an association that my fellow international travel risk managers recommend. However, education abroad is the lion’s share of global mobility at our institution, so it’s expected that I attend NAFSA: Association of International Educators, The Forum on Education Abroad, and Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) seminars or workshops. In the past, my budget and availability to join URMIA or attend a conference was nonexistent. After supporting several cases related to our student health plan, it was our plan administrator and our director of enterprise risk management who motivated me to apply for the scholarship. Both must see some aptitude in me and in expanding my role. I sincerely appreciate URMIA setting the bar for what is possible. - Jeremy Lambeth, Director of Risk Management, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK

Q. What advice do you have for anyone thinking about nominating a staff member or applying him/herself for a 2023 annual conference scholarship?

Go for it! It’s great being able to connect with colleagues and to stay up to date on best practices and trends in higher education risk management. - Carrie Frandsen, Systemwide Enterprise Risk Management Director, University of California Office of the President, Oakland, CA

I highly recommend that first-timers apply for the scholarship. I suggest they look at their job description and department’s mission and goals to align those goals with URMIA’s mission when preparing their application. - Bill Knight, Enterprise Risk Management Coordinator, Florida A & M University, Tallahassee, FL.

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