In turn with Nicholas Peterson

ECU RMI student stands outside ECU's Main Campus Student Center

My name is Nicholas Peterson, and I am a senior majoring in finance and risk management and insurance.

I learned about this internship opportunity through Professor (Kurt) Fickling. I had reached out to him to see if he knew of any internship openings for the summer of my junior year. My resume eventually was sent out, and I got an email back from a broker at AmWins looking to fill a summer position with their CST team.

I started that June as a finance intern. I reviewed and communicated financial data between producers and finance companies, received an educational overview of all the corporate functions, and conversed with experienced department leaders regarding the operations they oversee.

The business classes at ECU and the College of Business prepared me to operate in a team environment and take a leadership role, if needed. The RMI program at ECU was crucial in understanding the industry and getting my foot in the door. Through RMI, I have traveled to conferences, had conversations with industry leaders, and as a team, worked to support Gamma Iota Sigma. All of which prepared me to stand out and land my first job with AmWins, as an associate underwriter.

The journey with AmWins has been incredible and has surpassed everything I had expected. The summer position I applied for turned from a ten-week position to being extended almost a year now. I have had the opportunity to work in three different roles and talk to some amazing leaders.

I would recommend everyone in the College of Business to get an internship because, outside of the fantastic experience you get, it could always lead to your first job.