The Dennis A. Baker Insurance Advancement Fund was established by Columbia University's Insurance Management Master's Program to inspire the next generation of leaders in the insurance field. With an initial gift from the Capstone Healthcare Econometrics Research Foundation, the Fund provides scholarships to talented high school students to attend Columbia’s Pre-College Program course, The Business of Dealing with Disasters. It also supports students enrolled in the Masters of Professional Studies in Insurance Management program. Through these initiatives, the Fund aims to build a robust talent pipeline that equips students and professionals with the skills, knowledge, and networks needed to thrive in the evolving insurance industry.

The Fund was named in honor of the late Dennis A. Baker, the founder of both the Capstone Consulting Group, LLC and the Foundation, organizations that developed research in healthcare delivery, economics, statistics, and mathematical analysis.

Working closely with the program’s Corporate Advisory Network members, the Fund also welcomes insurance professionals with the same vision to strategize, execute, and raise donations to sustain the Fund’s scholarships and activities. The program hopes to expand the Fund to cover costs for more insurance professionals in the future. Foundations, professional associations, corporations, alumni, and anyone who would like to support the Fund may contact Columbia SPS’ Major Gifts Officer Reshma D. Persaud at (212) 853-4130 or email her at rp3140 [[at]] columbia [[dot]] edu