DePauw University’s Risk Management Team, under the guidance of Professor Zhixin Wu, comprised of Darcy Tran ‘26, Kai Nguyen Dam ‘25, Nga Nguyen ‘26, and Nghi Le ‘26, achieved second place at the 2025 Spencer Risk Management Challenge, a global competition featuring 61 university teams from 16 countries. As first-time participants, they surpassed numerous institutions with long-established Risk Management and Insurance programs. Notably, they were the only liberal arts college to advance to the Top 8. They competed alongside first-place winners from 2023 and 2024 to secure a spot in the Top 3, ultimately finishing as runner-up.
The competition, organized by the Spencer Educational Foundation, spanned seven months and challenged student teams to act as risk management consultants for the city of Huntington, W. Va. Participants were tasked with identifying the top three to five climate change-related risks faced by the city, along with crafting practical mitigation strategies, complete with detailed implementation plans to enhance community resilience.
Beginning their preparation in Aug. 2024, the team met for weekly three-hour sessions, studying previous winning submissions, researching industry approaches, and honing their analytical and presentation skills. “As an all-international student team, their growth, professionalism and teamwork were remarkable,” said faculty advisor Professor Zhixin Wu. “Their presentation stood out for its clarity and depth, especially in how they interconnected the four risks into a cohesive, implementable risk management strategy.”
The road to success, however, was not without early challenges. As team member Le recalled: “Looking back, I still remember our early struggles—debating how to identify and prioritize the most significant climate change risks for Huntington. We worked to understand and differentiate between risks driven by climate change and those resulting from human activity. Through countless discussions, teamwork and perseverance, we developed a comprehensive mitigation strategy that ultimately impressed the judges.”
The team’s final-round presentation was delivered before hundreds of attendees, including judges, industry professionals, and peers from around the world. Professor Wu’s presence near the stage provided much-needed emotional support during the high-pressure moment. “Your presence during our presentation meant the world to us,” Nguyen shared. “You were a comforting point of focus whenever we felt nervous, mentally supporting us as we stood on stage representing DePauw in a global competition.”
Another team member, Nguyen, reflected on the transformative nature of the experience: “This competition really pushed us beyond our comfort zones. It’s an experience I’ll carry forward, not just for the skills we gained but for the personal growth it sparked in us.”
Throughout the journey, the team experienced not only professional development but also personal enrichment. “I’m truly grateful for the friendships, cultural exchange and lessons gained throughout this journey,” shared Tran. “It was more than a competition—it was a transformative experience that will shape how we approach risk, teamwork and leadership in the future.”
Through this experience, they sharpened their business acumen, gained deeper insight into the field of risk management and insurance and further developed their problem-solving and presentation skills.
The team expresses their deepest gratitude to faculty advisor Professor Zhixin Wu, Dr. Clarke and the professional risk managers from AF Group who offered guidance and mentorship. Most importantly, they thank the Spencer Educational Foundation and Risk & Insurance Management Society (RIMS) for organizing an opportunity that allowed emerging professionals from around the world to tackle real-world problems with creativity and strategy.
