WSIA for Students

WSIA offers a variety of educational and outreach programs to support college students majoring in risk management and insurance and those interested in working in the excess and surplus lines industry.  Sign up here to receive the WSIA U-News and stay updated on all the opportunities for students and the information below.

Insurance Scholarships 

Each spring, the WSIA Education Foundation awards up to 20 scholarships worth $5,000 each for the next academic year to undergraduate students studying risk management and insurance. The 2019 application deadline is March 3. Learn more here. 

Symposiums

Three annual two-day college symposiums are held throughout the year for Risk Management and Insurance majors. All include a Career Fair, networking opportunities with industry professionals, and educational sessions with both young and experienced professionals. Registration is only $25 for students and includes free or reduced hotel stay and meals. Learn more here. 

Extreme Risk Takers Symposium, hosted by Illinois State University
March 29-30, 2019 | Chicago, IL

Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Symposium, hosted by Arizona State University 
October 11-12, 2019  | Tempe, AZ
(This symposium includes a component for Actuarial Science majors)

Surplus Lines Symposium, hosted by Troy University
November 14-15, 2019  | Atlanta, GA

Internships

Each fall, 20 interns are selected for a nine-week summer experience (four weeks with a carrier and five weeks with a broker) at WSIA member firms across the country. Students are paid $18 per hour and WSIA provides transportation and housing. Learn more here.

Campus Presentations

WSIA schedules visits by industry professionals on college campuses where they present information about careers in the wholesale, specialty and surplus lines industry or industry cases studies to classes or GIS chapter meetings. To request a presenter, please complete the College Visit Request Form.

Gamma Iota Sigma (GIS) Involvement

WSIA and the WSIA Education Foundation participates in the GIS International Conference Career Fair and education sessions. Students can stop by the WSIA table or attend a presentation to receive brochures and flyers about programs and events and to ask questions of WSIA staff. For more information on Gamma Iota Sigma and to learn more about their events, click here.

White Paper Contest

WSIA sponsors a White Paper Contest to expand surplus lines awareness and knowledge for risk management and insurance students. For the spring 2019 contest, participants must write and submit a 10-12-page research paper on one of the following topics:

  • Active Shooter
  • Product Recall
  • Drones

Winners will receive:

  • $1,000 award (up to three winners)
  • Publication of the winning papers on the WSIA’s website

Selection timeline:

  • Submission deadline – Sunday, April 14
  • Notification of winners –Friday, May 3

Submitted papers may be the result of a faculty-assigned project in conjunction with a university course, or students may submit a paper of their own volition. Submitted papers must conform to a specific format. Students may upload their papers here, and you can download a white paper rubric here. Please contact Christine Timmerman at chris@wsia.org or 816.799.0858 with questions. 

The Fall 2018 White Paper Contest winning papers are available here. 

Surplus Lines Fundamentals Online Course


Students and faculty can access an online course to learn why the surplus lines market is needed, how its distribution system works, how surplus lines transactions are regulated and how the surplus lines market is able to successfully underwrite risks that the standard market has declined. Anyone interested in accessing the course should contact Julie Fritz at julie@wsia.org.