Insurance Companies Provide International Internship Opportunities for UA Students

Insurance Companies Provide International Internship Opportunities for UA Students

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Pictured, from left, are: Dr. Kay Palan, Koichiro Watanabe, John D. Johns and UA President Stuart R. Bell.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — University of Alabama business students will soon have summer internship opportunities in Japan thanks to Japanese and Birmingham-based life insurance companies, the entities announced Sept. 20 in a campus ceremony.

The two companies established The Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company and Protective Life Corporation Global Internship Program fund in UA’s Culverhouse College of Commerce.

“This is an exciting, experiential opportunity for our students,” said Dr. Kay Palan, dean of UA’s Culverhouse College of Commerce. “We appreciate Dai-ichi and Protective Life for making this valuable, international experience available to our students.”

The companies indicated they intend to contribute annual gifts to fund the internships.

“We are delighted to partner with the Culverhouse College of Commerce and our parent, Dai-ichi Life, to create this opportunity for students to experience a summer internship in Japan,” said John D. Johns, Protective’s chairman and CEO. “We hope they find this an exciting and enriching opportunity to deepen their knowledge of finance and risk management, learn about the Japanese business culture and see firsthand what it is like to work in the global life insurance industry.”

Koichiro Watanabe, representative director and president of The Dai-ichi Life Insurance Co. Ltd., added, “We have come to know The University of Alabama over the last several years and believe that helping to develop talent is an important part of our commitment to the future. Students with an international viewpoint will grow to become industry leaders in the years ahead.”

Graduate students and rising juniors and seniors studying finance, economics, banking or insurance are eligible to apply. The first internships will begin in 2017 with opportunities available in the fields of risk management, credit risk analysis and potentially others.

Speaking at the ceremony, which was attended by multiple company and UA representatives were: Watanabe, Johns, Palan and UA President Stuart R. Bell.

Contact

Chris Bryant, UA media relations, 205/348-8323, cbryant@ur.ua.edu