The VCU Risk Management and Insurance (RMI) Spencer Fellows Program offers undergraduate students a 10-week, paid summer rotational internship designed to introduce them to multiple areas of the risk management and insurance industry. Structured as an immersive, cohort-based experience, the program combines hands-on industry exposure with guided professional development.
Spencer Summer Fellows participate in a structured rotation across several risk management and insurance companies and related organizations, connecting academic learning to real-world experience while exploring career interests and building professional skills. Fellows gain exposure to a variety of functions, including claims processing, claims resolution, claims operations, underwriting, account management, sales and delivery processes, risk services and operations.
Throughout the program, fellows are supported by VCU RMI faculty and collaborate closely with a cohort of fellow VCU students. The experience begins with a dynamic, content-rich orientation and continues with opportunities to connect, share ideas and grow through collaboration with peers and industry professionals.
Before the Spencer Fellows Program, I wasn’t sure what kind of job I wanted or where I would fit in the insurance industry. The opportunity to rotate between Berkley Mid-Atlantic on the carrier side and Marsh McLennan Agency on the broker side gave me the hands-on experience I needed to figure that out.
I left the program not only with clarity, connections and confidence — but with a real sense of excitement for a career I believe I’ll have a passion for. It was the catalyst for what has so far been a very successful job search.
Dane DiEugenio
2025 Spencer Summer Fellow
“
The fellowship truly made my job search much easier because it gave me hands-on experience across multiple companies, which made me stand out in a field that’s really hungry for talented young professionals. Thanks to that experience, I was able to start my senior year with multiple job offers already on the table.
What’s more, the industry is often misunderstood by students, but through the fellows program, I discovered just how interesting and complex the industry really is.
Mallory Keck-Wilson
2022 Spencer Summer Fellow
“
My time at VCU helped prepare me for my career in insurance by giving me real-world experience through internships and professional organizations like Gamma Iota Sigma. Through those experiences, I gained crucial foundational knowledge of the E&S industry and a strong network of professionals I use to this day.
Kyle Tye
2024 Spencer Summer Fellow
“
Berkley Mid-Atlantic hosted four VCU interns last year. The interns rotated through four departments, engaging with different teams and core responsibilities. The students were engaged, thorough and offered thoughtful insights. It was a great experience for us, and we look forward to hosting again this year.
Anna Perryman
Vice President, Human Resources, Berkeley Mid-Atlantic Insurance Group
How to Apply
The Spencer Fellows Program seeks motivated students with a strong interest in risk management and insurance and a desire to learn through hands-on experience. Ideal candidates demonstrate effective interpersonal and communication skills, analytical thinking, attention to detail, initiative and accountability.
Applications for summer 2026 are closed.
Application Requirements
Eligibility requirements
Be a current sophomore or junior.
Have local housing and access to a car.
Program dates
Must be available fororientation during the week of May 11, 2026.
Must be available for a closing session the day before classes begin on Aug. 17, 2026.
Additional details will be provided during the interview process.
Preferred qualifications
Preference will be given to students who:
Have taken FIRE 309: Risk Management and Insurance.
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