Student Conference Scholarships

Applications Are Currently Closed

The application period for 2025 is expected to open in March 2025.

Questions?

If you have questions after reviewing this page, you may contact Michelle Smith, executive director.

Required Documents

In addition to entering information in the application form fields, you must upload the following attachments as PDF documents:

1. Current unofficial transcript (Spring semester)

2. Resumé with your work history, extracurricular activities, internships, honors, volunteer involvement, and/or membership in associations related to risk management or insurance (including job titles, offices held, and your responsibilities).

3. Nomination letter on official letterhead from a faculty member, instructor, advisor, or adult supervisor of a work or internship experience related to your degree program and/or career goals. The letter should include the nominator’s title, contact information, and how that person knows you.

Purpose

The URMIA Student Conference Scholarship Program is designed to provide valuable educational and professional connections for college students as they explore the higher education risk management profession. Five scholarships of up to $2,000 each are available.

University Risk Management and Insurance Association (URMIA) members include those who work in higher education as well as those who work in the insurance industry and other businesses serving risk managers in the higher education sector. URMIA seeks to support institutional succession planning with activities that introduce the rising generation to this rewarding career path.

2023 Student Scholarship Recipients

From left: Solomon Richardson, Savannah Jackson, Raphael Nelson, Jennifer Calandra, and Andrea DuBois. Not pictured: Suma Meda

Eligibility

Applicants must meet all the following requirements:

• Enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited institution and have earned 60 credit hours (or equivalent) by June of the year the conference is held. Undergraduate, graduate, and community college students are welcome to apply.

• Majoring in risk management or a related field (e.g., business, insurance, finance)

• Have a GPA of 3.0 or higher

• Be at least 21 years old before arrival at the conference

• Is not an immediate family member of current URMIA board officers and members, URMIA staff, or URMIA members involved in the selection process

The applicant shall also disclose any personal, business, or volunteer affiliations that may give rise to a real or apparent conflict of interest with URMIA. Preference will be given to applicants who are members of URMIA (student memberships are free) and can demonstrate interest through classes taken, jobs, and activities in exploring a higher education risk management position or insurance career with a focus on higher education.

Applications from previous URMIA Student Scholarship recipients will be considered only if fewer than six eligible, first-time applicants have applied.

The URMIA Student Conference Scholarship Selection Task Force will review and select scholarship recipients. Only complete applications will be considered.

Use of Funds

This scholarship can only be used to attend the 2024 URMIA Annual Conference in New Orleans. Expenses that a scholarship recipient incurs to attend the annual conference will be reimbursed up to $2,000. Valid expenses include the following:

• The student member registration fee for the Full Conference Experience

• A room at the conference hotel for up to four nights

• Travel expenses to, from, and in the conference city

• Other expenses (e.g., Meet & Greet meal)

Reimbursements will be made in the order above. Receipts will be required. Please review URMIA's travel policy.

Expectations

Attendance

Scholarship recipients may attend the entire conference but are only required to participate in pre-conference activities starting in the afternoon on Saturday, September 28, through the conference general session lunch on Tuesday, October 1. This includes:

• URMIA Presidential Reception on Saturday evening

• Sunday brunch with a select group of URMIA institutional and insurance industry leaders

• URMIAcares community service activity or a pre-conference session of interest on Sunday afternoon

• Newcomers Welcome & Orientation session late Sunday afternoon

• Opening Reception on Sunday evening

• Breakfast and Opening General Session on Monday & Tuesday

• Educational breakout sessions of choice

• Tuesday lunch and general session on Tuesday

Reporting

Scholarship recipients are required to submit a post-conference report to URMIA within two weeks after the conference. This reflection may be in writing or on video and should include:

1. Lessons I learned at the conference

2. Influential people I met and how they influenced me

3. My most important professional takeaway from attending this conference

Additionally, scholarship recipients are required to participate in a “where are they now” update for URMIA members the following spring.

Acknowledgement

URMIA is grateful to the Spencer Educational Foundation, Inc. for grant support that makes this opportunity possible.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging

URMIA is committed to the advancement of higher education risk management and the professional growth of our members. Our conduct is guided by the highest ethical standards. All interactions are characterized by trust, accessibility, diversity, innovation, and camaraderie.

Diversity in the profession facilitates:

• Attraction of skilled professionals

• New perspectives/approaches to solving problems

• Innovation in the development of products and services

• Improved relationships with campus constituents and affiliates

To that end, at least one scholarship will be set aside to recognize those who have been traditionally underrepresented in the field of higher education risk management and who have demonstrated a dedication to personal growth and leadership through their commitments to education and/or work. See our active Strategic Plan for information about all our diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) initiatives.

URMIA encourages applicants with minority backgrounds, unusual education, distinctive experiences, or unique histories to apply. This information allows us to identify a diverse pool of candidates and affirm we have a scholarship recipient who helps us achieve our goal. The individual responses will not be shared with the selection committee.