NU Online News Service, May 19, 12:56 p.m.EDT

The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Researchannounced it will collaborate with the College of Business at EastCarolina University to initiate its Risk Management and InsuranceProgram.

The collaboration between Greenville, N.C.-based ECU and TheNational Alliance will allow students to earn the UniversityAssociate Certified Insurance Counselor (UACIC) designation throughtheir coursework, the National Alliance says, noting that this willgive students an important head start on earning the CertifiedInsurance Counselor (CIC) designation.

During a special luncheon, the College of Business honored 15students who recently passed the UACIC designation exam. Currently in its first year, the Risk Management and Insuranceconcentration already has more than 40 students enrolled, accordingto The National Alliance.

The National Alliance President, William T. Hold, Ph.D. says,“The UACIC program is only available at universities with insuranceand risk management departments with outstanding faculties.”

He adds, “This is a great opportunity for students to obtain aninsurance professional designation before leaving college. UACIC is a career springboard – a designation that will set thegraduate apart from his or her peers. This means entering thejob market more prepared for life with a solid, practicalfoundation for a career in insurance and risk management.”

At The University of Central Arkansas, seven students werehonored for being the first in the nation to complete the UACICdesignation program. Hold, Insurance Commissioner Jay Bradford, andJohn Bratton, Ph.D. and Victor Puleo, Ph.D., members of theinsurance faculty at UCA, presented the students with theircertificates during a conferment banquet held recently at theUniversity of Central Arkansas.

Jerry Montgomery Memorial Research Fund

Four students at UCA and two students at ECU were recipients ofa scholarship from the Jerry Montgomery Memorial Research Fund, TheNational Alliance said. The fund was established by TheNational Alliance Research Academy to honor Jerry Montgomery, arespected member of The National Alliance for Insurance Education& Research.

The fund was created to provide scholarships for deservinguniversity students enrolled in the UACIC program, to providesupport and allow these students to obtain the designation, TheNational Alliance says.