CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA (July 25, 2025) — Beginning this academic year, students at Coe College can study risk management/insurance as a concentration within the college's Stead Department of Business Administration and Economics.
There is increasing demand for a risk-management-skill set, particularly across the insurance and financial industries. The growth is driven by global economic uncertainties, regulatory changes, changing weather patterns, and increasing reliance on risk mitigation strategies.
"The circumstances are right for Coe students to thrive in this field," said Assistant Professor of Business Administration and Economics Josh Christensen. "Jobs related to risk management are estimated to grow at a double-digit percentage increase over the next decade according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and this will be one of just a handful of risk management concentrations available at the small private college level."
Students who pursue the risk management/insurance concentration will still earn a business administration major to provide a solid, all-encompassing business foundation. They'll then take courses in insurance operations and business-risk-management to build the skills necessary to proactively take steps to prevent or minimize the impact of potential organizational threats.
With a significant presence of insurance and financial management firms in Cedar Rapids, opportunities for Kohawks to gain internships and work experience surround campus. The abundance and proximity of these experiences, many within walking distance, set the Coe program apart in comparison to other small colleges.
With the N° 8 in the nation career services on campus in C3: Creativity, Careers, Community, Coe maintains active connections with Cedar Rapids-area firms and, with strong job prospects, the potential for graduates to stay and work in the Cedar Rapids area is promising.
"We strive to connect students with local partners in all situations, and this risk management concentration aligns superbly with a core business locally and across the state. We're proud to introduce another area of study that serves future needs and are confident this will be energizing for local business and our students," said Coe College President David Hayes ('93).
The concentration is being launched with the generous support of a lead gift from Coe Trustee Jon Reiner ('09) of RT Specialty. This relationship with Reiner expands Coe's internship offerings to the Chicagoland area, in addition to the many local internship and career opportunities available to Kohawks.
Including risk management/insurance, the Stead Department of Business Administration and Economics now offers eight distinct concentrations in conjunction with the business administration major: Aviation management, aviation management and flight operations, finance, international business, management, marketing, and sports management.
These concentrations are in addition to majors in accounting (public and managerial), economics, and international economics.
Students in the department also manage a real investment portfolio, the Birkey Investment Fund, as well as conduct paid-summer research as Spellman Research Associates. These experiences form a breadth of forward-thinking business education opportunities typically unavailable at most small private colleges.
With recent and pertinent academic additions, Coe is experiencing a "leaning forward" moment. Kohawks aren't choosing between classic humanities studies and high-demand career paths, but instead engaging with both while also absorbing lessons from hands-on learning that accelerates career preparedness.
