The Center has been expanding knowledge and understanding of Insurance and Risk Management for the last three decades. As part of the University of Hartford, the Center's activities are aimed at students, industry, and the general public. It was established with the support of Robert C. Knox, Jr. and the R. C. Knox and Company, Inc.
A major role of the Center is to support the undergraduate and graduate study in Insurance and Risk Management. The undergraduate major provides students with an education that helps them to face the challenges of an ever-changing financial world.
Center Activities
With additional grant support from the Spencer Foundation, each year we host a visiting Risk Manager in Residence. Students learn from the risk managers in classes, lunches, and dinners. Other area executives participate as well offering excellent networking opportunities for students. Our most recent Risk Manager in Residence was Lee Garvin from JetBlue Airways. In 2013 we hosted Michael Lubben, Director of Risk Management at The Marvin Companies, an industry leader in product innovation, energy efficiency and progressive manufacturing techniques.
The Center gives awards to outstanding Insurance/Finance graduates and serves as a conduit for employment and internship inquiries from industry. Each year, students intern at major insurance and risk management companies such as Aetna, Chubb, Cigna, The Hartford, Travelers, and UnitedHealth Group. These internships frequently lead to full-time positions after graduation.
Another major activity of the R.C. Knox Center is to encourage research by supporting student-faculty supervised research, and through summer research grants to Barney faculty. Recent funded research topics include “Implications of Public Policy Actions and Retirement Security,” “Influences of Organizational Form on Medical Malpractice Insurance Market,” and “Reinsurance and Insurers' Risk-Return Profile.” The Center also supports the acquisition of important data such Research Insight (Compustat) for the faculty and students of the Barney School. This database provides extensive financial information on a vast cross-section of companies and is essential for corporate financial analysis. Other publications are provided for the enhancement of the classroom experience.
Please contact Associate Professor of Insurance and People’s United (R.C. Knox) Center Director Yu Lei at lei@hartford.edu for additional information.