COLLEGE OF INSURANCE AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

The College of Insurance has come of age. Twenty-five years old. But how many of us now associated with this excellent example of a success story can recall the days of its infancy? Indeed, not many of us will recall that the College, like similar institutions, started from an embryo; not of the fauna but more of the flora – a seed blowing in the wind – fertile, full of life, with a future, seeking fertile soil, its movements carefully monitored by its single parent – the IIJ. A lecture here, a lecture there, from the Sheraton to the Pegasus to companies’ boardrooms.
Nor many of us can share the nostalgia that I now experience as I recall the great effort of the IIJ to ensure that ambitious persons in the General Insurance Industry, and who were so aware that “knowledge is power”, receive the assistance they caved.
It was my pleasure to give of my time to participate in these efforts of the IIJ; and it is not out of place to mention names here, for there were others – Herbie Edwards, Vasle Atkinson, Jim Pawson, to name a few.
There was no doubt in the minds of the members of the IIJ that this seed, blowing in the wind, wound one day come to fruition and mature it did; for along came Dr. Lloyd Hunter, firm and resolute.
There is no need to describe his astute methods of nurturing. Suffice it to say that he received the co-operation he needed, and deserved, from his many watering sources in the industry to carry out his mandate.
Today the industry boasts of its achievement in planting its own tree of knowledge, and I am unable to satisfactorily express my pride at being able to support its objective to promote “Knowledge Professionalism Integrity”.
It is clear that my association with CIPS and its Administration, as a lecturer, has been a long one. Over the years I have had the pleasure of seeing the bright smiling faces of graduating students and share the mixed pride and admiration with the members of the College administration and staff at annual prize-giving exercises.
I do believe that other lecturers experience the feeling of belonging, a feeling of having given a part of themselves to that entity: especially upon encountering a past successful student sitting in his/her own private office. Confessedly, I sometimes get the feeling of being out-stripped – but isn’t that all part of being an educator? The matter of public awareness of the existence of a College of Insurance is of concern to me, however, as I have had my pride punctured on a couple of occasions when being told by persons that they did not know that such a college exists. This needs to be addressed at the appropriate level.
When all is said and done, however, I believe the sentiments I have expressed will certainly be ratified by other lecturers who will no doubt at some future date be able to relate even more interesting and enlightening experiences with CIPS as it grows in strength, influence and popularity.