Applications are open for the online course, which will introduce the functions of insurance amid current issues, including global health, climate change, and cybersecurity.
This summer, select high school students will have a unique and timely opportunity to learn how the insurance industry can help people and societies recover from disasters as well as innovate solutions. Insurance as a Financial Tool and a Force For Social Good is fully online, consisting of lectures, role play, case studies, and group projects designed to help students gain a clear understanding of how the insurance industry operates, why it is needed, and how it will continue to emerge to meet the risk demands of the future.
The course is open to students entering grades 9 through 12 or freshman year of college and will be taught by Ken Radigan, CEO of the Professional Risk Managers’ International Association (PRMIA) and lecturer for Columbia University’s new Insurance Management master’s program. The lessons will have real-world applications to current issues; students will learn and explore the vital role of insurance in bringing about innovations such as cryptocurrency, driverless cars, and virtual assistants Alexa and Siri. In addition, they will understand how the insurance industry helps to protect businesses, governments, and individuals from modern threats like cyber-attacks, COVID-19, and natural disasters.
As a result of generational turnover and global risk challenges, the insurance industry offers an exceptional opportunity. Columbia University is offering this high school course to pique the interest of young people who are interested in exploring this unique period of change and innovation.
To apply, students should visit Admissions on the Columbia University Programs for High School Students website.
This course is offered by Columbia University's Programs for High School Students and developed in collaboration with the Insurance Management master’s program at the School of Professional Studies, launching in the fall.