On November 6th, I attended the Advisory Board Meeting for the second time as an MBA student. Unlike last year, the meeting was held online, requiring some changes in how we prepared for it, and in how the actual meeting occurred. The meeting included an update of the MBA program, discussions led by MBA students related to their submission to the A.M. Best Student Challenge, and a research presentation by Dr. Ty Leverty on insurer financial results.
As I watched the Board members take a deep interest in the operation of the MBA program and present various opinions for the development of the program, I could feel how much they love UW-Madison, and I can be sure that they will be our strong supporters in the future.
MBA students prepared the Advisory Board Meeting, not as an audience, but as the organizers of the meeting. Our mission was to share the proposals submitted to A.M. Best’s student challenge program and discuss our proposals with Board members. We focused on facilitating the meeting by actively communicating with Board members, rather than unilateral presentations. The proposal was for risk financing techniques for catastrophic risks, and had a deep connection with the diverse experiences and expertise of Board members.
To prepare for the meeting, MBA students were in close contact with the Board members as mentors. Therefore, we were able to conduct active discussions at the meeting based on the consensus formed in advance. Board members appreciated the substantial improvement shown since our earlier conversations with them and offered sharp insights based on their experiences.
Professor Leverty’s research presentation on the relationship between underwriting profits and investment income in the insurance industry was interesting to all of us. It is a topic that both MBA students and Board members working in the industry care about and are highly interested in.
The Advisory Board Meeting was an opportunity for MBA students to share the experiences and expertise of professionals working in the industry, as well as a valuable opportunity to maintain deep ties with alumni.
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