From Classroom to CEO: St. John’s Enterprise Risk Management Grad’s Leap to Startup Success

A resident of Queens, NY, Mr. Whitaker is President of iSolvRisk Inc. This risk management tech startup aims to expand the talent pool in the insurance industry by gamifying risk management.

Please describe your job responsibilities.

Our mission is to create equal access to career opportunities for current and future generations, regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic status. My role involves overseeing the day-to-day operations of our business alongside our chief executive officer. I am also preparing an enterprise risk management analysis that will be pivotal in furthering our product for a case study within educational institutions. We are securing venture capital to bring our product to market and test it within the education industry.

How did your St. John’s education help prepare you for your career and current employment?

St. John’s provided me with the necessary exposure and opportunities to start my own company just one year after graduating. Before my GSRM studies, I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Risk Management and Insurance in 2019 at St. John’s. 

My first job was with Marsh, a global insurance broker, which gave me extensive job exposure in three different departments through the accelerated training program offered to graduate students. Applying what I learned in the classroom at St. John’s, I quickly stood out among my peers and advanced within my roles at Marsh. I leveraged everything I learned and my relationships with former classmates and professors to start my own business.

What attracted you to St. John’s to pursue your graduate degree? 

The Risk Management program at St. John’s is ranked in the top 10 in the country for the risk management and enterprise field. I knew that to become one of the best in a specific industry, I had to immerse myself in an educational program that exemplified excellence and opportunity.

What other major factors drew you to pursuing your graduate degree at St. John’s?

The GSRM boasts a plethora of resources dedicated specifically to students in my field.  There was never a question that went unanswered, or an opportunity for which I could not receive proper counseling and advice to be prepared. St. John’s also possesses a very powerful, worldwide, alumni network, offering access to numerous connections. The GSRM program is known for high job-hire rates for graduate students, making it the right place for anyone seeking a great return on their investment in education.

Did St. John’s large network of alumni connections help you move forward with your career? 

Absolutely. I made plenty of alumni connections within my first job at Marsh, and across different events hosted by RIMS, the risk management society®; the National African American Insurance Association; and the Young Risk Professionals. I can recall being a part of the Accelerated Training program when I started my job and being able to speak with various alumni who had already been in my shoes, providing the best advice possible to quickly advance in my career while learning as much as possible. The ability to gain insight through these relationships and conversations helped me navigate my job trajectory and understand which areas of the business I was truly passionate about and excelled at.

Did you take advantage of any internship opportunities during your time at GSRM?

I was fortunate enough to intern during the summers of my sophomore and junior years of my undergraduate experience. The first was at Atlas Financial as a claims adjuster for a summer internship program. I leveraged this experience on my résumé, eventually securing a summer internship in the highly touted and sought-after Marsh TRAC Program the following summer. Both of these opportunities allowed me to learn from on-the-job experience and build my network of connections within the industry. This eventually led me to receiving a full-time job offer from Marsh by the fall of my senior year of college.

The GSRM  students were exposed to various chief executive officers (CEOs). What was your experience with this?

My exposure to CEOs was very prominent during my stint with Marsh. I had the pleasure of personally connecting with John Doyle, the former CEO of the company, and Martin South, the current CEO. Both men are phenomenal leaders who gave me sound advice as I debated the direction I wanted to take my career. Gaining insights and feedback from the top leaders of an organization motivated me to further my education and pursue a master’s degree in my field, potentially opening even more doors.

What would you say to someone considering pursuing a degree from GSRM?

It is 100-percent worth it to earn a degree at GSRM. The knowledge, experience, and opportunities you will gain from this program will set you up for success for a lifetime. Many doors will open just from being a part of this program and utilizing all the resources that the University has specifically for GSRM students.

What did you like best about St. John’s?

The networking opportunities available through the events hosted on- and off-campus were the best experiences. Being able to travel expense-free to Europe for the first time and visit London, Ireland, and Switzerland through the Global Destination Courses (GDC) is an experience that I will never forget and will cherish for the rest of my life.

How did the University’s faculty, administrators, and/or staff support you while you pursued your degree?

As I pursued my Master of Science degree in Enterprise Risk Management, members of the faculty, staff, and administrators were available to meet with me, answer questions about my career, and ensure that I remained on track to graduate on time. They also confirmed that I had the necessary skills and experience for the career of my choice after graduation. There are still faculty, administrators, and staff who support my startup to this day and advocate on my behalf to help me secure meetings with other leaders of the University to hear my business pitch.

Did St. John’s provide financial assistance to help you pursue your degree?

St. John’s provided plenty of financial assistance to help me pursue my undergraduate degree and master’s degree in Enterprise Risk Management, for which I am extremely grateful. I was the recipient of the prestigious Insurance Leader of the Year Fellowship (ILOTY). These fellowships include full tuition, as well as travel costs associated with an elective international insurance markets course, which includes travel outside the US.It would not have been possible for me to enroll at St. John’s and earn my degree without financial aid. Being an out-of-state student from New Jersey at the time, attending a private institution would have made the cost too high for me to benefit from the University’s opportunities.