From May 4 to 7, DePauw students, under the guidance of Professor Zhixin Wu and the generous support from the Spencer Educational Foundation General Grant, attended the RISKWORLD 2025 Conference in Chicago. This event, organized annually by the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS) and celebrating its 75th year in 2025, featured a diverse delegation from DePauw. With over 11,000 risk professionals from around the world in attendance, RISKWORLD 2025 offered a premier global platform for industry engagement, innovation and experiential learning.
The conference kicked off with vibrant energy as attendees flooded into McCormick Place Convention Center. DePauw’s Team, competing in the Spencer Challenge, arrived early to prepare for the competition. The rest of the student delegation arrived on the morning of May 4 and joined the 'Breaking the Ice' student networking session that afternoon. The conference then proceeds with keynote speeches, breakout sessions and an expansive Marketplace featuring more than 300 industry exhibitors.
"From the moment I stepped into McCormick Place on May 4, the energy of RISKWORLD 2025 struck me," said Nam Nguyen ‘27. "It felt like walking into the heart of a living, breathing risk laboratory where every conversation held the promise of new insights."
Sessions covered cutting-edge topics including AI governance, climate risk, cyber liability and strategic risk mitigation. Anthony Pham ‘27 noted, "The session on Shadow AI and its security risks was eye-opening. Watching a live demo of a large language model being hacked really emphasized the importance of responsible AI governance."
A standout moment for DePauw was the 2025 Spencer Global Student Risk Management Challenge Final Round, where its student team with Darcy Tran ‘26, Kai Nguyen ‘25, Nga Nguyen ‘26 and Nghi Le ‘26 secured second place globally. The competition involved 61 teams from 16 countries and DePauw was the only liberal arts college to reach the top 3.
“I was lucky enough to be there and watch DePauw’s team presenting their ideas," said Pham. "Seeing them with such enthusiasm, passion, and excitement made me want to be a part of the team someday."
For many students, RISKWORLD provided a bridge between classroom knowledge and real-world application. The conference featured more than 100 breakout sessions covering a wide spectrum of emerging risk topics, ranging from environmental and technological risk to strategic and operational threats. They attended sessions on solar energy risks, flood risk, fire risk, business continuity planning, and inclusive risk practices, gaining exposure to the real challenges risk professionals tackle every day.
Agiimaa Enkhbat ‘26 added, “The session ‘From Uncertainty to Business Confidence’ offered practical insights on how companies stay competitive in a rapidly changing world. It was one of the most valuable sessions I attended, combining big-picture thinking with tactical tools I can use moving forward.”
Enkhbat also emphasized the value of casual networking moments, adding, “From networking over ice cream and coffee to hearing Martha Stewart’s keynote speech on resilience and entrepreneurship, every moment of RIMS left me more motivated and excited about a future in risk management.”
Wu, who returned to RISKWORLD as both a mentor and participant, noted, “One of the highlights of the conference was visiting the Marketplace, where I made a concerted effort to stop by nearly every company booth. These visits provided valuable opportunities for meaningful, insightful conversations with industry professionals.” She added that speaking with companies using artificial intelligence and climate risk analytics gave her tools to enhance student preparation.
Beyond student learning, Wu highlighted how RISKWORLD encouraged academic exchange. “I had the opportunity to network with directors and faculty from other university-based Risk Management and Insurance (RMI) programs,” she shared. “We exchanged ideas on curriculum enhancements, experiential learning, and industry partnership strategies. Many of us also discussed future opportunities for inter-institutional collaboration, including guest speaker exchanges, joint student events, and collaborative research projects.”
