In this episode host, Dustyne Bryant, MBA, CIC, CISR talks to Grace Grant, Executive Director at Gamma Iota Sigma, after recording on-site at the Gamma Iota Sigma 51st Annual International Student Conference. Gamma Iota Sigma is a collegiate network of thousands of insurance and risk management students and over 100 colleges and universities in North America. Grace offers insights on the various sessions attended by college students. She discusses the diversity of student membership, successful young professional parings with companies, and uncommon insurance industry career paths. Tune in to hear advice for students considering an educational focus or career path in the insurance industry and what life after college looks like for GIS members. From our experience, these students are truly amazing, hungry, driven, and out there for the taking.
Grace Grant
Executive Director for Gamma Iota Sigma, has more than 15 years of experience in the financial services industry, including 10 years of insurance industry non-profit leadership. She started her career in financial planning, before moving into various roles with the Griffith Insurance Education Foundation, an affiliate of The Institutes, as the Director of Public Policymaker Education where she worked with RMI Faculty across the country to develop insurance information seminars for state and federal leaders. She joined Gamma Iota Sigma in 2013 as the SVP of Chapter Operations and lead the robust growth of the organization, expanding the number of collegiate chapters from 57 to 97 and more than doubling the membership base of students from 2,000 to 6,000. She spearheaded the launch of its inclusive membership initiative to engage students of all majors and backgrounds for insurance careers, and championed a significant expansion of the organization’s diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy including ground-breaking diversity events and initiatives to equip HBCU, female, Hispanic, and other students of a variety of underrepresented groups for success in the insurance industry.
She received a Bachelor’s in Business Management with a pre-law concentration and economics minor from Wittenberg University, before pursuing a Master of Education in Educational Leadership and Administration from Ashland University.
In her career and beyond, Grace is a fierce advocate for philanthropy and community. She serves on multiple industry committees and boards and gives back to her local community as the Founder and Commissioner of the Little League, PTO President at the elementary school of her five children, church and community volunteer. Grace was recognized by Insurance Business America on the 2021 Elite Women list and the 2022 Hot 100.
Voices in the episode in order of appearance:
- Josh Paskewicz, Talent Acquisition Manager at Hylant
- Allison Garcia, Talent Acquisition Leader at Hylant
- Kevin Ray, Vice President of Learning & Development at Erie Insurance Group
- Meaghen Paterson, District Sales Manager at Erie Insurance Group
- Will Kegg, Insurance & Risk Management Student at University of Cincinnati, GIS Chapter President
- Benjamin J. Kegg, Information Technology Student at University of Cincinnati, Executive GIS Member
- Mary Jo Zimmer, User Experience Manager at Erie Insurance Group
- Lee’a Thigpen, Information Technology Supervisor & IT Intern Program Lead at Erie Insurance Group
Dustyne Bryant, MBA, CIC, CISR
Personal Lines Academic Director
Dustyne Bryant, is the Personal Lines Academic Director for The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research. In her role, Dustyne collaborates with National Alliance faculty and industry colleagues to research and analyze Personal Lines segment trends, data, and coverage in an effort to deliver relevant and quality educational content to growing insurance professionals.
