Avery and Foster recently interviewed each other and discussed their first semester experience as interns with IRMA.
Foster a senior and Avery a junior, both study Insurance and Risk Management at Ohio Dominican University. Here’s their conversation!
Avery Rice: First semester of the IRMA program went by fast…. what were two things in the last 16 weeks that stuck out the most in the program?
Foster Martin: For me, the official launch of the IRMA program was my favorite part of this semester. We had the pleasure of meeting and interacting with people from – Encova, ODU, Secured Advantage and all the influential people who helped establish the IRMA program. Not only do I have this sense of pride for being one of the first interns to take part in this program, but it was nice to see that so many people cared about this new venture.
The other exciting thing as far as the 1st semester goes, was the team meetings we had as a group every Wednesday afternoon. In these meetings, we discuss several important items from the week. We talk about what we have learned that week, work we have done, and what we are going to do in the future.
AR: It’s great to be able to say that we are the first interns to take on this new program-and from the conversations that we’ve been a part of, we can clearly see the direction the program is heading and it’s truly humbling to be part of that journey.
FM: Agreed! I feel like we have been very successful with the work we have done. It gives me a sense of accomplishment knowing we have helped the groups that have partnered with IRMA. As a group, we have learned a lot about insurance because of our exposure to doing work with Encova and Secured Advantage, learning from our professors at ODU, and hearing from the guest speakers. I think with the experience and knowledge we are getting; we stand out among the rest of the students graduating with an RMI degree.
AR: Speaking of guest speakers, we had some great sessions in the fall semester from partners of SA and I know we have a few coming up in spring semester.
FM: That is one area that I am really looking forward to this semester. IRMA has so many connections with OIA, Encova, ODU, Secured Advantage, and more. I feel like there are a lot of people to meet and learn from. We have had guest speakers come and talk to our IRMA group in the past and I always enjoy learning from them.
AR: Sounds like you are really enjoying your experience with the internship and with the insurance industry so far. I’m assuming you have your mind set on the Insurance Industry at this point.
FM: actually, I accepted a job that starts this summer as an underwriter for Liberty Mutual. I’m really looking forward to continuing my growth in the Insurance space with this new position. With how much I am enjoying this internship, it’s just more proof that Insurance is where I want to end up. Also, IRMA is doing a great job of getting me ready for my first position in Insurance.
AR: Wow that is awesome to hear, congrats! From what we have covered so far, it’s clear that you have a lot on your plate and speaking from experience- classes, working for IRMA and being on the school’s soccer team takes a lot of effort to juggle all three.
FM: You’re right- it’s hard making everything work. It takes a lot of hard work and time management, but it is manageable. A lot of times I have to hurry from one thing to another but that’s what happens when you work an internship, play a sport, and are a full-time student. I just have to make sure I am prepared for my day. My manager, coaches, professors, and others also do a good job with working with my schedule. Though it’s hard to make all three work, it is still very possible to balance all of them.
To learn more about IRMA, check out the link below.
Insurance & Risk Management Academy (IRMA) | Ohio Dominican University