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NEW YORK (April 30, 2021) — During the RIMS LIVE 2021 virtual Conference Finale, RIMS CEO Mary Roth and RIMS President Ellen Dunkin announced the University of Hartford student team as the winner of the 2021 Spencer-RIMS Risk Management Challenge.

Competing against 18 other universities from around the world, the students from the University of Hartford successfully delivered their risk management strategies to leaders in the profession during the virtual event. The competing teams were challenged to develop solutions to address a civic risk management case-study developed by RIMS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Council.

“Social issues continue to climb organizations’ and municipalities’ list of top strategic risks,” said RIMS CEO Mary Roth. “With professionalism, creativity and enthusiasm, this year’s university teams shared a range of unique perspectives and solutions that addressed these real-world, socio-economic challenges. Congratulations to our 2021 champion University of Hartford and all of the future risk management leaders who participated in this year’s competition.”

Members of the University of Hartford team included:

• Aliyah Abdullah
• Semra Boluk
• Nicholas Bosio
• Yoanny Brito
• Academic Advisor: Ken Goldstein

“While different from last year, we still faced uncertainties as we approached RIMS 2021,” said Spencer Chairperson Robin Roeder (SVP, Risk Management, Sedgwick). “I am very proud of the perseverance of Spencer to continue to strengthen and equip the risk management and insurance students of tomorrow, and of the students for performing so well in very challenging and unfamiliar circumstances. Congratulations to every student who participated and thank you to our judges who gave their time to this year’s challenge!”

Second-place in this year’s Challenge was The University of Wisconsin and the third-place team was Appalachian State University.  The first-place university received $4000, second $3,000 and third $2,000.

To learn more about the Spencer-RIMS Risk Management Challenge and other opportunities, resources and content for risk management and insurance students, visit RIMS Student Resource Center at www.rims.org/students.

RIMS LIVE 2021
To continue to celebrate innovation in risk management, RIMS has transformed its Annual Conference into the RIMS LIVE 2021 virtual conference experience. The 10-day event scheduled from April 19 – 30 will bring the world’s risk management community together, delivering 175 education sessions, advanced network-building capabilities and game-changing solutions in its digital Marketplace. Launched in 1963, the in-person RIMS Annual Conference normally attracts some 10,000 risk and insurance professionals at all experience levels, business executives with risk management interests, brokers, insurers and service providers. RIMS 2022 Annual Conference will be held in San Francisco. For more information about RIMS LIVE 2021, visit www.RIMS.org/RIMS2021.

About RIMS
RIMS, the risk management society®, is a global not-for-profit committed to advancing the practice of risk management throughout the world. We bring networking, professional development, certification, and education opportunities to our membership of 10,000 risk management professionals in over 60 countries. Founded in 1950, the Society represents more than 3,500 industrial, service, nonprofit, charitable, and government entities throughout the world. To access RIMS Risk Knowledge resource library and for additional information about the Society, visit www.RIMS.org.

About Spencer Educational Foundation
The Spencer Educational Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization funding the education of tomorrow’s risk management and insurance leaders through scholarships, grants, internship opportunities, on and off campus experiential learning, and support of risk management/insurance curricula. Since its founding in 1979, Spencer has awarded over $8 million in scholarships and $5 million in grants to universities and professional institutions affecting more than 60,000 students through programming. For more information, please visit www.spencered.org.

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