Make an impact in a dynamic and meaningful industry
From climate change and cybersecurity to health, financial markets, even pandemics, Risk Management & Insurance effects every aspect of our lives. Choosing a career in RMI gives you a chance to protect people, innovate, and put forth bold ideas—all within a well-paying industry. On average, salaries in the insurance industry are $42,000 more than non-insurance salaries.
The Emmett J. Vaughan Institute of Risk Management & Insurance is your gateway into an exciting, growing profession where you can do work that matters. We equip and inspire the leaders of tomorrow to become not just career-ready, but also future-ready. Our world-renowned faculty, diverse curriculum, and real-world experiences leave you primed to solve the problems of today and anticipate the problems of tomorrow. That's why it's an ideal career path for young leaders of all backgrounds.
$ 70,000+
in scholarship each academic year
80+
scholarship winners in the past year
590 %
growth enrollment rate
The Vaughan Institute difference
The Vaughan Institute was designed to connect the classroom experience with the real world. Within our collaborative, innovative ecosystem, we provide students with hands-on experiences, actionable insights, forward-thinking curriculum, and opportunities to build a safer, smarter, and more secure world. Iowa is home to 7,000 finance and insurance companies, and one of the nation’s top headquarters for the finance and insurance industries. We’re here to prepare you for a role in this rapidly growing job market through:
Get involved
Sponsored projects
Work with real companies on a variety of interesting and challenging company-sponsored projects.
Thought Leaders & Innovators speaker series
Hear a variety of leaders speak to their experiences within the intersection of risk management and career development.
Gamma Iota Sigma
Our collegiate chapter of the national risk management student organization gives you the chance to attend social events, visit employers, access conferences, explore executive leadership opportunities, and collaborate with industry leaders.
Team case competitions
Demonstrate your diverse skillsets on a real-world risk management problem on a national stage. Scholarships are available!
Networking events
Connect with industry professionals and alumni through our fall and spring scholarship celebrations and senior send-off. Attend the yearly NAPSLO conference, annual RIMS conference, the GIS national conference, and our annual Golf Outing & Fundraiser.
Career support
Specialized career services professionals will guide you through your journey from student to RMI employee.
“There’s a young alumni board just for risk management students. They’re just so helpful—for professional advice, academic advice. We’ll have networking luncheons with them, and every time I attend, I leave with a new contact.”
Program offerings
The Vaughan Institute welcomes University of Iowa undergraduates who are pursuing either an RMI certificate or major.
Risk Management & Insurance Certificate
Add an additional RMI credential to any undergraduate major through this certificate program.
Risk Management & Insurance Major
Build a solid foundation in industry fundamentals and strategies by making risk management & insurance your undergraduate major.
“Constantly, at my internship, I feel miles ahead. When other interns are struggling, I find myself thinking: ‘I get it, we learned about that, it makes sense.’ Vaughan really gives you a complete picture of how the insurance industry works.”
Future-proof your career with the skills employers want
Careers in risk management and insurance require a unique skillset. The Vaughan Institute is uniquely prepared to help you get them.
- Creative Problem-Solving: Risk management professionals need to be adept at identifying issues, implementing effective strategies, exploring new solutions, and applying AI to mitigate constantly evolving risks.
- Communication: Clear and effective communication is crucial for conveying risk-related information to clients, colleagues, and regulators. We’ll prepare you to explain complex concepts in an understandable way.
- Financial Acumen: Gain an understanding of financial principles and the impact of risks on financial outcomes so you can assess the implications of different strategies and products.
- Analytics: Learn to analyze data, assess risks, and identify trends is essential to interpret complex information to make informed decisions.
- Negotiation: In roles such as insurance underwriting and claims management, negotiation skills are important for reaching mutually beneficial agreements with clients, reinsurers, and other parties.
- Technical Proficiency: Master relevant software tools and analytical techniques to analyze data, develop risk models, and perform quantitative risk assessments.
Work in a wide variety of industries
The Vaughan Institute prepares students for a wide variety of careers in Risk Management and Insurance. Whether you are looking to be more relationship-centric with a position like an account executive or more quantitative as a risk analyst, the industry really needs everyone from human resources to marketing to underwriting. Top fields include:
- Cyber Security
- Climate Change
- Financial Markets
- Healthcare
- Logistics
- Technology
Proud to be a Global Center of Insurance Excellence
The Vaughan Institute is proud to have been designated a Global Center of Insurance Excellence (GCIE). This distinction recognizes the quality of education students in our program receive, the dedication of our faculty, and the power of a curriculum built on fundamentals and experiential learning.
Stay in the know
Subscribe to the Vaughan Institute newsletter for the latest news & industry trends.
Support the Vaughan Institute
The Vaughan Institute is funded solely by gifts and annual donations. In order for the program to continue providing a nurturing learning environment and enrichment activities, your support is needed and appreciated.
Our history of industry leadership
The University of Iowa has been known for producing leaders in the world of risk management and insurance for decades. Emmett J. Vaughan (1934–2004) began his University of Iowa career in 1963 as an assistant professor, directing the college's efforts in insurance education. He was essential in helping the university earn a distinguished reputation in the field of insurance education in the 1970s and 1980s while mentoring many of the industry's top leaders.
Dr. Vaughan served as dean of the Division of Continuing Education from 1986 until 2001 while continuing to teach insurance courses. Under Dr. Vaughan’s guidance, the Tippie College of Business partnered with industry leaders to launch the institute to help with the industry's expanding employment needs. After Dr. Vaughan's passing in 2004, the institute was renamed in his honor. Today the Vaughan Institute's enrollment has grown to a top five program in the country.
Contact us
Emmett J. Vaughan Institute of Risk Management & Insurance
108 John Pappajohn Business Building, S230
Iowa City, IA 52242-1994
vaughan-resource-center@uiowa.edu