MJ Insurance Charitable Foundation (The MJ Foundation), the nonprofit arm of Carmel-based MJ Insurance, recently committed $750,000 to Butler University to establish a new scholarship supporting multicultural students with financial need in the Andre B. Lacy School of Business. The scholarship will begin awarding next academic year as an annual scholarship while the creation of a permanent endowment is underway. First preference for the scholarship will be given to students majoring in risk management and insurance.
Through the MJ Foundation, MJ is committed to fostering diversity within the insurance industry and advancing the educational opportunities for those committed to studying the risk and insurance field. The MJ Risk Management & Insurance Scholarship is being established to further this vision and builds upon an existing partnership between MJ Insurance and the Lacy School of Business that dates back to 2015.
“On behalf of the Lacy School of Business, I offer enthusiastic appreciation to MJ Insurance, whose support for students is clear through their recent pledge to endow this scholarship,” said Lacy School of Business Dean Craig Caldwell. “Students majoring in Risk & Insurance will benefit from financial support that improves access, reduces student debt, and helps provide the insurance industry with a talented and diverse workforce. This is another example of an organization that has not only supported our development to this point, but also supports our current strategy and future.”
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. With a large portion of the industry’s workforce approaching retirement, graduates of the Davey program are in high demand as companies look to attract and develop new talent. The scholarship will help to make Butler’s risk management and insurance program more accessible to students of diverse backgrounds.
“This endowment will provide funding to students of diverse backgrounds who are interested in pursuing a noble career in the risk management and insurance industry,” said MJ Insurance CEO and Founder of the MJ Foundation, Michael H. Bill. “This is one way to strengthen our commitment to developing a more equitable and diverse workforce and continue the legacy on which we were founded—to make a greater impact in our communities and the industry. We are honored to partner with such a remarkable institution to enhance the programs and initiatives of Butler University’s Lacy School of Business.”