In a triumphant victory, an Illinois State University College of Business team has secured the top spot in this year’s Selective Insurance Company’s Insurance Agency Management Competition. This marks Illinois State’s first win in six years thanks to the outstanding students involved. Mohammed Mrani, Fernando Villanueva, Emily Vesper, Colin Glass, Ty Brennan, and Shannon Ranalli brought Illinois State to victory against renowned contenders from Temple and Indiana State showcasing their excellence and proving that hard work pays off.
The team was collaborative throughout the process and demonstrated they were not afraid to work hard. Their collective contribution won them a prize of $3,000 which was awarded to the registered student organization Gamma Iota Sigma. It was thrilling to see the students set up and dedicated to completing their best work.
Reflecting on their experience, students gave their insight into how they felt about the competition saying, “It was very cool to take that knowledge that I have accumulated and apply it to a real-life scenario. The feeling I had finishing this competition is similar to the feeling I had after I finished my summer internship. I feel as if I have learned such valuable lessons and information that simply cannot be taught in a classroom.” Another student likened the competition to their own internship experience explaining that working in diverse teams is critical for learning.
The competition is highly recommended by the team, and they said that it is the perfect opportunity for juniors and seniors who want to expand their professional experiences. Although it took time and energy out of their schedule, the students acknowledged the benefit was worth the work. One student recalls “I feel much more comfortable with my overall knowledge of not just the day-to-day operations of an insurance agency, but the year-to-year strategy of an agency. A lot of our decisions revolved around the question of ‘what puts us in a position to have sustained success?’ and while that seems like a simple enough question, there are numerous factors that go into future success.” These individuals’ significant contributions not only gave them a win but skills they can continue to build on as they move forward with careers in insurance.
An extended thank you goes out to Selective Insurance for sponsoring the event, and to PriSim Business War Games, and Business Simulations for creating and facilitating such an important event.
ISU’s victory showcases the talent of the student team, as well as the importance of experiential learning. A gracious thank you goes to George Day and Tricia Pucket of the Horton group for mentoring these students. Congratulations to the group on an outstanding job.
