In August 2019, I joined the full-time MBA: Risk Management and Insurance (RMI) program at the Wisconsin School of Business. When I first arrived in Madison last summer, I felt both excitement for a new challenge and anxiety as a complete stranger. As the only Korean in my MBA program, my biggest concern was how to overcome unfamiliar culture and language difficulties. However, what I have experienced in Madison over the last six months has been a quality education program, warm faculty and fellow students, and my growth as a risk and insurance professional.
The MBA program at the Wisconsin School of Business focuses not only on improving managerial qualities such as teamwork and leadership, but also on nurturing leaders with true expertise while taking course work in one’s chosen specialization starting in the first year. In particular, the RMI program is directly linked to the risk management and insurance industry, so I can experience both the theory and practice of RMI.
Two out-of-class experiences have been especially beneficial to me. I participated in the RMI MBA Advisory Board Meeting with experts in the financial market and learned intuitions and insights about the industry. By participating in the PLUS (Professional Liability Underwriting Society) conference, I was able to experience the professional liability market and expand the human network.
It is no coincidence that the risk and insurance program at the Wisconsin School of Business has reached the top of the U.S News ranking. The warm faculty and fellow students provide generous attention and support to help me adjust to the new environment and feel a sense of belonging. Faculty have been mindful of the challenges of international students. Fellow students have shown me in words and actions that I am part of a team with them. What I have experienced over the last six months has been new and challenging, and through them, I am growing.
I live in Madison with my wife and son. Madison is a university-oriented city that is lively and enterprising. My wife is spending time recharging away from her complicated life in Seoul, Korea, and my son has fully adapted to life in Madison without cultural and language barriers. My family feels the time spent in Madison is a perfectly happy time, and we love this quiet and beautiful city.
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