RMI Jamal Garner is the fifth student to complete a summer internship with the D.C. Department of Insurance, Securities & Banking

Presentation on AI

RMI intern Jamal Garner gave a presentation on Artificial Intelligence and its impact on the insurance industry and insurance regulation.

Washington, D.C.’s Department of Insurance, Banking and Securities (DISB), and Gallaudet’s Maguire Academy of Risk Management and Insurance (RMI) have forged a strategic partnership which has resulted in providing summer internships to Gallaudet RMI students since 2016. This year, RMI student Jamal Garner was selected for this prestigious internship, which culminated with his well-received presentation to a crowded room of DISB staff, including Stephen C. Taylor, commissioner, and Philip Barlow, associate commissioner, on July 18. Also in attendance was James Bruner, RMI executive director.

At DISB, Garner worked with financial services and on projects based on the insurance industry. Specifically, his research focused on the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on insurance regulation and the insurance industry.

“During my presentation, I discussed how AI and Robotic Process Automation will impact the insurance industry, and how we will prepare and welcome this evolution in the future,” said Garner.

“Jamal put a great deal of time and effort into this,” said Bruner. “Jamal’s presentation showed that AI will not only impact insurance but practically every aspect of society. Everyone who attended the presentation today gained a new understanding of the impact AI will have on society. It will be far-reaching.”

DISB also assigned Garner to create an Excel spreadsheet project to review personal automobile rate filings for companies in Washington, D.C.

“DISB provided a rich experience for me because I really learned a lot about the banking bureau, insurance, actuaries, property and casualty, and bank examination,” said Garner. “This internship helped me to gain critical thinking, research, analysis, and communications skills. I believe this opportunity benefited me because DISB helped me find the best fit for my future career in accounting, risk management and insurance.”

Garner, a native of Chicago, Illinois, graduated from the Illinois School for the Deaf (Jacksonville) in 2015. He is a three-sport athlete at Gallaudet, lettering in football, basketball, track and field. Jamal is active with the Black Student Union, Business Student Council, and All-STAR LAB, and is a member of the Kappa Gamma fraternity and the risk management and insurance fraternity Gamma Iota Sigma, (GIS) which promotes student involvement in the professional world of insurance, risk management, and actuarial science. On campus, Garner has worked for Campus Activities, Department of Public Safety, and the Tutorial and Instruction program. He will work with Multicultural Student Development and Mentoring this fall.

Garner chose to become an RMI student because of the job opportunities available, and because he sees RMI courses as “interesting and enlightening”. He also values the networking offered by the RMI program.

“My career goal is to pursue and obtain a master’s degree in accounting and become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA),” said Garner. “My career aspirations include becoming an accountant, actuary, claims adjuster, premium auditor, bank examiner, and underwriter, and to work in finance.”

Bruner sees the partnership as a win-win for DISB and RMI.

“The staff at DISB have met several of our students over the years and have developed a friendship and respect for what our students are capable of doing,” said Bruner. “Each RMI student took on a very detailed research project and researched how that specific topic impacted insurance and regulation. All of these research topics were cutting edge. Students are gaining knowledge of the latest technology and the impact that technology will have on insurance and regulations. These internships bring real-life issues and students are able to combine these issues with the book knowledge they are learning in the classroom. At the end of the day, students learn to become researchers and problem solvers.”

Past DISB interns included the following: Jennifer Savage presented on fitness trackers, wearable medical devices and health insurance privacy issues; Chrissy Sze, ’19, gave a presentation on voice-activated systems and their possible impact on insurance and insurance regulation; Jake Grindstaff, ’19, focused on telematics and its impact on the pricing of insurance and regulations. Jerome Dupuis presented on the risks of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology as it relates to insurance.

DISB staff has in the past participated in a Gallaudet Career Center presentation, “Working Together: Deaf and Hearing Employees,” which focuses on Deaf Culture, various modes of communication, how to work with interpreters, communication strategies for group meetings, and accommodations in the workplace. Basic work-related signs were also taught.

DISB, in its support of Gallaudet’s RMI program, will consider to expand student internships into banking and/or securities for summer 2020.

Bruner went on to say, “It’s been a great relationship for both Gallaudet and DISB. Many thanks to Commissioner Steve Taylor, Associate Commissioner Philip Barlow and the entire staff at DISB for making this a very successful program.”

Photos courtesy of James Bruner.