“Personal Finance and Insurance,” developed by Dr. Dan Yang and Dr. Courtney Baggett, will teach students how to use various insurance tools, such as life insurance and annuities, to achieve their personal financial goals.

The undergraduate course is expected to become a required elective class in RMI and will serve as a gateway for students to explore the RMI field, Dr. Yang said.

“We are thrilled to announce that TROY has been chosen to receive a Course Development Grant from the Spencer Educational Foundation,” she said. “We are incredibly grateful to the Spencer Course Development Grants Committee for selecting our application and awarding us with funding to implement the course into our undergraduate program.”

The class will cover topics such as fundamentals of personal finance, health insurance , life insurance and financial planning, and retirement planning and insurance.

“By integrating insurance concepts into a personal finance course, the program will attract a wider range of students, including those outside of traditional RMI or business tracks,” Dr. Yang said. “Personal finance is a universally relevant topic, making the course appealing to students from various backgrounds who may not have otherwise considered RMI as a career path.”

The Spencer Educational Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to fostering the education and professional development of risk management and insurance students. Since its establishment in 1979, the foundation has been helping students succeed by providing scholarships, grants, and internships to talented individuals pursuing careers in these fields. 

“Traditional RMI courses often focus on technical or corporate aspects of insurance. This course provides a more relatable entry point, attracting students with diverse interests, including those focused on financial planning, consumer protection, and social impact,” said RMI Chair Dr. Courtney Baggott. “Our goal is to make RMI more approachable and relevant to a diverse student body.”