Azucena Flores
University of Wisconsin–Madison, Wisconsin School of Business
MBA Graduation Year: 2017
Specialization: Risk Management and Insurance
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Internship: Property and Casualty Strategy Intern, Office of Corporate Strategy, Nationwide Insurance; Columbus, Ohio
Current Job: Analyst, Allstate; Northbrook, Illinois
Azucena Flores wanted to make a bigger impact on the insurance industry and determined an MBA was the best way to gain broad business skills. UW-Madison was the perfect fit to help Azucena advance. The risk management and insurance specialization offers a targeted curriculum and real-world consulting projects so she can gain real expertise in insurance operations and finance.
Wisconsin’s specialized curriculum allows for a deep understanding of specific industries and business functions. The risk management and insurance specialization allows students to explore the industry in depth through access to faculty, alumni, and real-world consulting opportunities. The small program size has given me the opportunity to build really strong relationships with my classmates and faculty, including the faculty director, who has had tremendous impact on my learning and my career.
In the Wisconsin MBA, I am getting the academic and leadership training to differentiate myself in the market. Along with the specialized curriculum, I’m getting comprehensive leadership training that has set me apart from other MBA graduates. Leadership techniques taught throughout the curriculum are things I can apply now and in my future professional roles. As an added benefit, through the School you can earn designations such as the CFA and CPCU, which is a big benefit in my field.
A semester-long consulting project gave me valuable expertise in data analysis, complex project management and effective communication. Our team developed a workers’ compensation dashboard for a large client to help profile issues like injury reduction and cost allocation. The organization is now using the dashboard to analyze data to manage risk at a whole new level.
We developed a workers’ compensation dashboard for a large client. The organization is now using it to analyze data to manage risk at a whole new level.
—Azucena Flores
The relationships I have built within risk management and insurance will make a substantial impact on my career. My classmates bring so much professional diversity to the table, showing me the value of an environment that promotes diverse thought. The collaborative culture has added great value to my experience here, whether it is classmates offering to tutor for exams or students working together to learn the material.