Richardson, TX, April 6, 2016 (Newswire.com) - Gamma Iota Sigma, a business fraternity with a tradition of furthering the careers of those in the insurance and actuarial fields, added a UT Dallas chapter in a March 5 chartering ceremony that drew local professionals and members from several other universities as well as 27 inductees.
“I appreciated the support from many people, and I think the loyalty this organization has is obvious when you consider all the other universities that had students at the event,” Debra Richardson, director of the risk management and insurance concentration at the Naveen Jindal School of Management, said.
"I appreciated the support from many people, and I think the loyalty this organization has is obvious when you consider all the other universities that had students at the event," Debra Richardson, director of the risk management and insurance concentration at the Naveen Jindal School of Management, said.
Debra Richardson, director of the risk management and insurance concentration at the Naveen Jindal School of Management
East Carolina University, St. John’s University (New York), Temple University, the University of Central Oklahoma the University of North Texas, East Carolina University, and the University of Central Oklahoma sent GIS representatives, according to Richardson. In all, about 100 people attended.
Establishing a UT Dallas GIS chapter was one of Richardson’s top goals when she joined JSOM last summer, she said.
The Greek letters Gamma, Iota and Sigma represent the letters C, I and S, which stand for Collegiate Insurance Society. Chartered as the Beta Phi Chapter, the new fraternity joins an international organization that was incorporated in 1965, has about 3,000 student member and 22,000 alumni.
Maria Cannon, one of the new inductees, was looking forward to the opportunities that come with membership. “This gives me a chance to improve my networking, and I get to learn how people in the industry got to where they are,” Cannon said. “I’ve already received great tips, and learning from someone else’s experience is a big help,” said Cannon, who graduated in December with a bachelor’s degree in finance, with a concentration in risk management and insurance.
Nathaniel Bjorge, a senior majoring in actuarial science, saw joining the chapter as an important aid against what can sometimes be a difficult job market.
Thu Nguyen, president of this new chapter and slated to graduate in December with a bachelor’s in finance degree with a concentration in risk management, felt being a part of the organization is a chance to help what she finds to be an underrated area. “Risk management is critical to businesses, and there’s so much to learn about it,” she said.
Jacob Galecki, a board member of Gamma Iota Sigma and a senior recruiter at Liberty Mutual, believed this is the perfect time for the school to join the organization’s ranks. “Insurance is growing in Dallas—whether you’re looking at places like our company or State Farm,” he said. “This chapter should result in helping a good amount of members when it comes to job opportunities in the years to come. Being exposed to top insurance professionals will help them in many ways.”
Share: