The Hylant Family Foundation recently committed $1 million to Butler University to support students studying in the Davey Risk Management and Insurance program in a new partnership with the Andre B. Lacy School of Business. The majority of the gift will be used to create an endowed scholarship for students majoring in risk management and insurance, while the remaining $250,000 will be used to create a programmatic support fund for students in the Davey Risk Management and Insurance program. 

The Hylant Family Foundation is the nonprofit affiliation of Hylant, one of the largest privately held insurance brokerages in the country. Headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, Hylant has been family owned since its founding in 1935 and now includes 20 offices in eight states. Representatives from Hylant were on Butler’s campus on Friday, February 10, to celebrate the partnership.

“On behalf of the Lacy School of Business, I am extremely grateful to the Hylant family for their thoughtful investment in the lives of current and future Butler students who will benefit from this generous gift,” Craig Caldwell, Dean of the Lacy School of Business, said. “This gift will not only increase access to a Butler education for students interested in pursuing a career in the insurance industry, but will also provide support for meaningful career development opportunities outside the classroom for all students in the program.”

The Hylant Risk Management and Insurance Endowed Scholarship will begin awarding next academic year and will exist in perpetuity at Butler. The scholarship will be awarded to students with financial need majoring in risk management and insurance. The scholarship was established in an effort to develop future leaders in keeping with the Hylant family’s commitment to nurturing sustainability, growth, and innovation in the risk management and insurance industry. 

“The Hylant family is passionate about developing future leaders in the insurance and risk management industry. Establishing an endowed scholarship program at one of the country’s best risk management and insurance programs is an ideal way to accomplish that Hylant mission,” Richard Hylant said on behalf of the Hylant Family Foundation.

The programmatic support fund will be used to assist students with expenses such as travel to conferences, pursuit of professional designations in the industry, and membership dues for professional organizations or Gamma Iota Sigma, a collegiate professional fraternity for students studying risk management, insurance, and actuarial science. These professional development opportunities enhance the career-readiness of students graduating from the Lacy School of Business.

As a large portion of the insurance industry’s workforce approaches retirement, the Lacy School of Business is committed to developing a talent pipeline and providing access to a meaningful career in the industry for students of all backgrounds. As one of only 58 risk and insurance programs in the country, Butler’s Davey Risk Management and Insurance program has a 100 percent placement rate.

“Hylant is honored to embark on this new partnership with Butler to support the demands of a quickly evolving risk management environment for our customers and partners,” Dave Norris, Hylant’s CEO of Emerging Markets, said. “Supporting and empowering the career development for all Davey Risk Management and Insurance students will position them for great success as the next generation of leaders in our industry.