Tess Pergande has spent more than 11 years building a career in insurance, and she is still asking questions.
A current student in the Columbia University School of Professional Studies M.P.S. in Insurance Management program, Pergande serves as West region manager for a bank-owned agency based in North Dakota, where she oversees benefits, claims, personal lines, and agricultural departments while spearheading strategic initiatives across all product lines. Earlier this year, she was named a 2026 Spencer Scholar, a recognition she describes as reassurance that she is on the right path and a reminder to keep pushing beyond her comfort zone.
In this Q&A, Pergande talks about what drew her to the program, how it has reshaped her perspective, and why she believes the industry is entering one of its most transformative moments yet.
What drew you to the Insurance Management program at Columbia SPS?
Honestly, it was curiosity. I saw the program and was intrigued by what academia had to say about the industry. What I’ve been thrilled to find out is that our instructors are all professionals. Yes, there are textbooks (it is school), but you really get to leverage decades and decades of experience, and that’s something you don’t get in a regular setting in such a structured way. You gain experience throughout your career, but having that breadth available all at once, with so much intention in how the program is structured is truly incredible. So really what drew me in was just curiosity. I wanted to know what they had to say.
You’ve been in insurance for more than a decade. What keeps you engaged, and where is your attention focused right now?
One of the running jokes in the industry is that you kind of fall into insurance, and either you fall out right away or you fall in love with it. For me, it was the latter. Insurance isn’t typically one of those careers people dream of, but it is the hidden silo of the finance industry, and once you’re in, you realize how much is happening.
What interests me most really depends on the day and what’s driving my work. I’m fortunate to be involved in a lot of different areas with a lot of variety. But going through this program with Columbia, I’ve found a lot of fascination in the bigger picture. A skill I’ve been working on is being able to zoom out. Some roles require you to see the leaves, some require you to see the trees, and some require you to see the forest. I’m now working on seeing the country: what’s happening nationally and globally, what risks are emerging, and what innovation is in the pipeline. That’s something I find fascinating.
What does being named a 2026 Spencer Scholar mean to you, professionally and personally?
It was very exciting. I happened to check my email in the middle of a meeting, and it became a great exercise in managing my reactions because I was so excited to receive the news.
When you’re in a program through an institution like Columbia, there’s a lot of prestige, and it’s very easy to go into that experience thinking, did they mean to pick me? Are they sure? Is this a good fit? Getting the Spencer Scholarship was almost a reassurance: Yes, you’re absolutely on the right path. I think it’s very natural to have those questions internally when you do something outside of your comfort zone. But it’s really important to keep pushing yourself professionally and academically. You need to get comfortable being uncomfortable, because that’s when you’re going to experience the most growth.
How has the program shaped the way you approach your work?
The program is very focused on the carrier lens, and that’s a piece I have a lot of exposure to, but not to this level of depth. So now, when I approach challenges or initiatives, it’s not just about what I can do within our agency, but what I can do within our agency that appeals on the carrier side. This feeds into building more comprehensive strategic plans for how we want to engage with our different product lines and ultimately our clients. It’s absolutely reshaped how I approach even day-to-day things.
Another huge benefit is the faculty as well as the fellow students. You’re just immersed in the program with so many different industry professionals from so many different backgrounds, all doing something different. Working through coursework or group projects together, everyone brings a unique angle you wouldn’t otherwise have seen. All of those different voices in the same room sharing their unique experiences, have really widened my horizon and allowed me to approach even day-to-day work with more comprehensive thinking.
Were there any specific courses, faculty, or program experiences that stood out to you?
I can pick something from each course I’ve been through, from each professor or lecturer I’ve spoken with. Every conversation is different, sometimes about coursework and sometimes about something going on professionally. You have the opportunity to leverage such an incredible sounding board. Something has always caught my attention or exposed me to angles I didn’t previously have exposure to, that I can often leverage immediately.
One thing that has genuinely stuck with me came from Sandra Bograd, who taught our legal course. She told me that she’s an octopus and thought I might be one too. The idea is this: When you put an octopus in a tank and give it a puzzle to solve, it will sit there, happy as can be, working through it. But if you leave it unattended without a puzzle, it will go find its own box to open. I’ve since realized I’m definitely an octopus. Give me a problem, and I am happy to sit there and work through it, getting into the weeds and keeping the big picture in view. And if you don’t give me an immediate puzzle, I will absolutely go seek one out.
How have you managed balancing the demands of the program with your professional and personal life?
It’s taught me a lot about my bandwidth. One of my greatest strengths is my ability to take on a lot of different objectives and manage them appropriately. Going into this, I told myself I was going to treat it like my work. I knew if I did that, I wouldn’t have any concerns about organization, performance, or time management. You definitely learn that time management, balance, and prioritization are important.
I’m also incredibly thankful the program is insurance-related. If it wasn’t, I’d probably be bored to tears. Having something so applicable to my career, and being able to draw parallels immediately, even with new topics, makes a real difference. This really isn’t just education—it’s professional development.
What are your goals moving forward, and how do you hope to contribute to the insurance industry?
The program has really taught me to widen my lens. I think we’re at a really exciting place right now. There are so many technological advances coming, and we know the industry is going to change, but the industry itself is pretty traditional in how it’s historically done business. I think we’re entering a window where we can get creative and maybe change how things have traditionally been done. It’s not just about efficiency gains; it’s about evolving into a new way of doing business, a new way of insurance.
It’s a different world than it was 30 years ago, or 20 years ago, or honestly, even five years ago after the last hard market. We’re at a time where we’re uniquely positioned to truly transform the industry, and I’m really excited to see how that plays out.
Views and opinions expressed here are those of the student and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Columbia School of Professional Studies or Columbia University.
About the Program:
The Master of Professional Studies in Insurance Management is for career professionals who want to accelerate their advancement to leadership positions or broaden their expertise in the industry. It accommodates both professionals already working in insurance and those looking to make a career change. The program is part-time, online, and instruction is asynchronous to accommodate working professionals.
Applications are reviewed and candidates are accepted on a rolling basis for the M.P.S. in Insurance Management program. Learn more about the program here.
