The University of Southern California in Los Angeles has announced a gift to establish a risk management program in its Marshall School of Business.

The gift from Peter Arkley, president of Alliant Retail Property and Casualty, will create the Arkley Institute for Risk Management, which is open to all USC undergraduates, and provide scholarships and graduate fellowships. To help attract leading scholars, the gift also will establish two Peter Arkley chairs in risk management and the position of Peter Arkley Executive Director in Risk Management at USC Marshall.

“I am honored that the Arkley Institute for Risk Management will expand the education, training, mentorship, and internship opportunities for USC students that lead not merely to good full-time jobs, but to excellent life-changing careers in the risk management field,” said Arkley. “I am grateful for the commitment and collaboration that has happened the last four years with members of the advisory council who have supported the program….I look forward to continuing to work alongside them as we build the institute.”

“Over the past few years, COVID, supply chain challenges, and geopolitical uncertainty have driven risk management to the forefront of decision making at the highest levels of organizations [a]nd, at the same time, have elevated risk management professionals to play increasingly significant roles within these organizations,” said Kristen Jaconi, associate professor of the practice in accounting and director of the risk management program. “With support for two faculty chairs and a graduate student fellowship program, Peter’s generous gift will position the USC Marshall School of Business to take a preeminent role in applied research and thought leadership in risk management.”

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