Matadors @ RISKWORLD - San Diego (5/6/24)
Six Matadors at RIMS WRC in Vail, CO (10/5/23)
Kelly Geoghegan - Professor for A Day (3/15/22)
LA RIMS donated $10k to CSUN (12/5/19)
Lockton hosted CSUN Students (11/15/19)
CSUN Students visited Farmers HQ (10/23/19)
Matadors at CPCU All-Industry Day (10/15/19)
Matadors at RIMS Conference - Boston (4/29/19)
Read what our students have to say about the Insurance minor.
What made you decide to pursue a minor in Insurance? I had an interest in insurance prior to taking any insurance classes, because my mom used to work in insurance. In addition to that, completing Finance 336 (Principles of Insurance), speaking with and learning from the professionals that Dr. Chang invited to meet with students, was what initially lured me into studying insurance more in depth. I added a minor so that I could take some of the additional insurance classes that are offered. If I could go back and change my major to Insurance, I definitely would.
What made you decide to pursue a minor in Insurance? I decided to seek insurance as my major because the job opportunities in this industry are enormous and not many people know about them.
How has your experience in the minor been so far? What has been your favorite class? My experience has been great so far, learning material that has helped me gain knowledge for real life situations. I just took Finance 336, which was an amazing course that I loved, and I look forward to taking Finance 495 in the upcoming semester.
How have your professors helped you network and gain more opportunities in your field? Meeting Dr. Russell has been a life changer for me. He has become my mentor and through his knowledge and network, I was able to land an internship. The internship is rotational at an insurance firm; meaning I will be working in the claims department and underwriting department. This will be an amazing experience because it correlates with my degree.
How have your classes under the Insurance minor helped you prepare for your job(s)/internship(s)? Finance 336 provided a good foundation. The class taught me about underwriting and the roles underwriters have in insurance.
Why should students consider pursuing an Insurance minor? I believe this is a degree many students have a misconception about and think the major/minor prepares students to sell insurance. The reality is, there are other well-paying jobs that need to be filled in an industry desperately looking for young, educated people.
What advice do you have for incoming freshmen, transfers, or anyone who is considering the Insurance minor? Take Finance 336 to get an idea of what the insurance industry is about and who knows? You may love it too.
Best place on campus to eat? I really love El Pollo Loco.
What is one thing in your life that you can’t live without? Dodger Baseball.
Favorite show or movie to watch? My favorite show is Game of Thrones (except the disaster of Season 8) and my favorite movie is Avengers: Endgame.
What made you decide to pursue a major in Insurance? An academic advisor suggested the idea of adding Insurance and double majoring since I was already majoring in Financial Planning. Finance and Insurance have a lot of overlap, so there’s only a few extra classes to take. When I took Finance 336 (Principles of Insurance), I found it very interesting and decided to go for it.
How has your experience in the major been so far? What has been your favorite class? So far, it has been great. I took Finance 336 (Principles of Insurance) with Dr. Russell and absolutely loved how he taught the class and the material. He gave us the information in a way that was realistic and applicable to life. I think people hear the word “Insurance”, and think about the sales and claims side of it, and tend to have a negative reaction. I like to use the phrase “Risk Management” because it doesn’t have a negative connotation attached to it and it better describes the various aspects that make up insurance. My perception of Insurance before and after taking the class is drastically different, so I’m glad I took the class and learned more about the major.
How have your professors helped you network and gain more opportunities in your field? Dr. Russell has been so kind and helpful and is always reminding us of the scholarships, internships, and job opportunities posted on the website. He genuinely cares about his students, all 150 of us in one class, and goes out of his way to help us. Throughout school I’ve learned that there are a lot of professors you encounter, but few you connect with and build bonds with. Finding professors who genuinely care about students and look out for them is rare and incredibly valuable.
How have your classes under the Insurance major helped you prepare for your job(s)/internship(s)? Taking Finance 302, 303 and 336 have helped me drastically with the internship I have now. These classes have served as building blocks and apply to my daily tasks not just in the internship, but everyday life. There’s a structure to finance and language of insurance that I didn’t know before, which I’m able to utilize and apply now. Having an understanding of both finance and insurance has served as a foundation; without it, I’d be lost and not nearly as confident or comfortable with my role in this internship.
What advice do you have for incoming freshmen, transfers, or anyone who is considering the Insurance major? I would suggest being open minded to the major and learning more about it. It’s been much different than I expected and it has pleasantly surprised me, so I wouldn’t count it out. I would also consider double majoring since there aren’t that many additional classes required, Having both majors sets you apart and gives you an advantage. Lastly, I would recommend getting involved, as CSUN offers many opportunities. I wasn’t as involved in my first semester, but became more involved this past semester. There’s been a drastic difference since getting involved, as I’ve met so many amazing people and have had various networking opportunities open up for me.
