Student Conference Scholarships

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 (Current 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 at least 60 credit hours (or equivalent) by June of the year the conference takes place. 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 2025 URMIA  Annual Conference in Las Vegas. 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 activities starting in the afternoon on Sunday, October 12, through lunch on Wednesday, October 15. This includes:

• URMIA President's Reception on Sunday evening

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

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

• Newcomers Welcome & Orientation session late Monday afternoon

• Opening Reception on Monday evening

• Breakfast and Opening General Sessions on Tuesday & Wednesday

• Educational breakout sessions of choice

• Wednesday lunch

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 year.

Acknowledgement

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