Traveling internationally has always been a passion of mine. When the opportunity arose to immerse myself in both my passion and my academic pursuits, I knew I had to jump at the chance. The Risk Management and Insurance study abroad trip to London solidified my decision that RMI is where I belong.
During our time there, my fellow students and I had the chance to visit several companies in the London Market, such as Lloyds of London, Markel International Ltd, and AIG.
Being able to talk with employees who had recently graduated from universities in the United Kingdom, and who were just beginning their careers, was an eye-opening experience. They were able to give us a glimpse into some of the hardships they faced when starting their careers, as well as a great deal of advice that we were able to bring back with us and share with our peers in the Troy RMI program.
In addition to speaking with new hires, we also had the opportunity to have question and answer sessions with the veterans of the industry — each offering their own nuggets of wisdom backed with years of experience. Hearing their responses was very insightful and reassuring for the future careers we will be taking on.
One thing that I found most interesting, is that any situation anywhere can cause a shift in the insurance market globally. For instance, a hurricane on the coast of Florida can affect insurance markets all the way across “the pond” in London.
When not in business attire, we threw on more casual clothes and got to take in all the sights and highlights that the great city of London has to offer. From the top of the London Eye to Wimbledon and authentic English rugby matches, we were able to make the most of our seemingly short week abroad. Being given the opportunity to travel to different countries, learning about peoples’ cultures and way of life are some of the moments I treasure the most in my life.
About the photo:
Troy University students making the trip are (front, from left) Hollan Vader Hey, Victoria Killingsworth, Isabel Smelko, Chase Blake, Macie Adams, Christina Edenfield, Allen Buchanan, Cassidy Gill, Hannah Weaver, (back, from left) Christopher Radney, Hunter Womac, Joseph Roark, Taylor Corbitt, Mosaab Alageel, Jake Rakestraw, Hunter Baggett and Dr. Ed Duett, who led the study abroad trip.