The University Of Iowa
University website: tippie.uiowa.edu/Vaughan
Country: USA
The Vaughan Institute is the University of Iowa’s Center for Risk Management and Insurance (RMI) education and research. The Institute was formed in 2002 as an innovative partnership between the Tippie College of Business (Tippie), the RMI industry, and the State of Iowa. It was named in honor of Dr. Emmett J. Vaughan, a world-renowned insurance scholar and long-time, highly-respected faculty member at The University of Iowa.
The mission of the Institute is to provide innovative education, research and thought leadership in the field of risk management and insurance regionally, nationally, and globally. The operating budget of the Vaughan Institute is funded solely by endowed or unrestricted gifts and annual donations. Since its inception, the Vaughan Institute was able to raise over $5.5 million, and is grateful for the continued support of its industry partners and private donors.
The Vaughan Institute’s RMI program can be described as a relatively young program with a long history. Back in the 60s, 70s and 80s, the University of Iowa had an outstanding RMI program lead by Professor Vaughan. While courses were still offered, its formal status was adrift until 2002 when key industry partners helped revitalize and formalize the program.
The rigorous and comprehensive RMI curriculum offered by the Vaughan Institute today builds on the foundations laid by Professor Vaughan. The program is structured as a Certificate that is available to any undergraduate student of the University of Iowa in any major area of study. Two of the six RMI courses offered include experiential projects in which students work as consultants, solving real world risk management problems for companies in the Iowa City area. The Institute’s industry partners and alumni help to offer a speaker series, internships and a mentorship program, preparing Vaughan students well for careers in the RMI industry.
About 30-40 students graduate with a RMI Certificate each year. Approximately 60% of the graduates start working for an insurance company, 12% for agents or brokers, 40% remain in Iowa and 72% in the Midwest. In addition to the RMI Certificate students, many business students take one or two RMI courses as electives, substantially increasing the number of students influenced by the Vaughan Institute.
The Vaughan Institute supports faculty and Ph.D. student research projects on risk management and insurance topics. Academic research with impact is an important part of the Vaughan Institute’s mission. The Institute is committed to an ongoing and meaningful dialogue with the RMI industry. It is the goal of the Vaughan Institute to support the industry by providing thought leadership on timely topics.
Degrees offered: Bachelors
Course listings:
FIN 3400 Principles of Risk Management and Insurance
FIN 4410 Corporate and Financial Risk Management
FIN 4420 Property and Liability Insurance
FIN 4430 Life and Health Insurance
FIN 4440 Employee Benefits Plans
FIN 4450 Risk Modeling
Admissions:
Kirk Kluver, Director of Admissions
Kirk-kluver@uiowa.edu
(319) 335-2516
Contact:
Sara Burden,
Senior Associate Director, Employer Engagement
Sara-burden@uiowa.edu
(319) 335-1027
Thomas Berry-Stoelzle, PhD
Associate Professor of Finance and TriStar Risk Management Fellow
Faculty Director, Vaughan Institute of Risk Management and Insurance
Henry B. Tippie College of Business
The University of Iowa
(319) 335-0854
thomas-berry@uiowa.edu