APIW SCHOLARSHIPS
Giving Back to the Industry

Each year since 1987, APIW has awarded scholarships to worthy students at St. John’s University –
The School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science (formerly The College of Insurance).
In later years, these scholarships were given under the name “Lana James Memorial Scholarship,” in
honor of a dedicated APIW volunteer and Board Member who died prematurely in 1992.

Additional scholarships are also given on behalf of our Chicago Network to worthy students at The
Katie Insurance School of Insurance and Financial Services at Illinois State University.

The tragic events of September 11th brought about our desire to create a symbolic and encompassing
remembrance. We wished to honor all those within the APIW family who were lost that day and remember
those other members who lost their lives prematurely.

In their memory, APIW’s scholarships are now given under the name “APIW Memorial Scholarship” at St.
John’s University; and the “APIW Lana James Memorial Scholarship” at the Katie School of Insurance.

APIW 2021 Memorial Scholarship Recipient
Elina Goykhman

Elina is a rising senior at the Maurice R. Greenberg School of Risk Management at St. John’s University, majoring in Quantitative Risk and Insurance with a minor in Data Science. Since her freshman year, Elina has dedicated her time to being very active in student organizations. She has served as President of the Actuarial Club and Director of External Relations of the Alpha Iota chapter of Gamma Iota Sigma. Now she serves as President of her GIS chapter and remains an active member of the Actuarial Club. She also works at the University Learning Commons as a Mathematics Tutor and is a Student Ambassador for her university’s Office of Admissions.

 Elina has devoted herself to learning all she can about the industry by expanding her knowledge outside the classroom as well. She began an internship with Burns & Wilcox the summer of her freshman year where she learned key foundations of insurance by working with underwriters and brokers, while managing relationships with agents. With the experience she gained from this opportunity, she was able to secure a yearlong internship at AXIS Capital, as an actuarial intern. Here she assisted the North American Casualty actuarial pricing team with their monthly price monitoring process, monitored claim loss movement, and conducted market research.

Elina has been commended for her work and has been recognized by organizations in the industry. She has been selected as a Spencer scholar by the Spencer Educational Foundation and was one of two students selected by her university to apply for the Anita Benedetti Student Involvement Program. She was selected by the RIMS committee as a 2021 scholar.

APIW 2021 Lana James Memorial Scholarship Recipient
Emily Selenis

Emily is a senior double majoring in Risk Management & Insurance and Finance, and she has been actively engaged in the Katie School of Insurance and Risk Management and Gamma Iota Sigma since her freshman year. She was Secretary of the Gamma Chapter and will be President for the 2021-2022 academic year.  Her other leadership roles include Vice President of Watterson Area Government, General Officer of the Actuarial Club, and Resident Assistant at Illinois State University.  Additionally, she was an engaged member of Toastmasters International at ISU and is active in the ISU Honors Program.  Emily was also selected to attend the WSIA Conference, the CPCU Symposium, the NRRA Conference, and the Gamma Iota Sigma International, Regional and Leadership Conferences. She has interned at Sompo International as an Inland Marine Underwriting Intern, and during the summer of 2021, she is a WSIA intern with placements with Century Insurance in Ohio and ECC Insurance Brokers in Illinois.