Sorrell College of Business cuts the ribbon on new RMI Lab

Devine (center) cuts the ribbon on the RMI lab. University Relations photo

The Sorrell College of Business opened their new risk management and insurance lab in partnership with a Boston-based insurance broker on Friday.

Located on the bottom floor of John Robert Lewis Hall, the new RMI lab is sponsored by wholesale insurance firm, XS Brokers. RMI Director, Dr. Courtney Bagget, said her students’ performance in the professional world will be better than it already is thanks to the lab and its resources.

“The experiences I’m able to give my students are because of partnerships like these,” Baggett said. “Our students have phenomenal job placement already, but I think it’s going to give them an edge in the sense that they're getting that hands-on, real-world experience beyond the textbook exposure.”

The main focus of the space is to provide the students withll the equipment and environment necessary to explore advancements in their field, primarily in the case of artificial intelligence and its growing place in business.

“This is going to give them another space – a learning space – on campus and obviously, having our name attached to it is great and it’s something we’re really proud of,” said Adam Devine, executive chair of XS Brokers. “It’s humbling but I’m super honored to be a part of something like this and get to watch the future generation of insurance leaders take their place.”

Devine did not go to Troy, but he sees Troy students as the next generation because of the workers the university has produced for him in the past. XS Brokers currently employs 24 Troy alumni. and Dr. Steve Grice, interim dean of the Sorrell College of Business, takes great pride in the company's investment in growing that number.

“Our relationship with XS Brokers really began with some of our students that had been placed with XS, so it wasn’t an alum that was in a leadership position, it was our students that worked really hard and impressed the executives of the company,” Grice said. and “Nnow they're here on campus recruiting ourt other students.