Student chosen for scholarship and summer internship in London

Hannah Brooks, Features editor

A Mercyhurst student has made a very honorable and exciting accomplishment. Devon Daniels, senior Risk Management and Finance major, has earned a scholarship for an internship this summer in London.

Daniels was chosen by the Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Association (WSIA) as the J.H. Blades Scholar for 2022.

According to the WSIA website, the organization is a “worldclass member service organization representing the entirety of the wholesale, specialty, and surplus lines industry.”

In addition to Daniels’ studies and hard work in his classes, he also is a part of the hockey team at Mercyhurst. In 2019, he was recognized as an Atlantic Hockey (ACHA) All-American Student Athlete of the Year.

Additionally, he was named the Presque Isle CPCU Society Chapter Scholar for 2019 and 2021. Daniels enjoys playing on the team and will continue to play hockey after graduating as well.

“I plan on pursuing my hockey career post-graduation,” said Daniels. “Many of my most notable experiences that I have had during my time at Mercyhurst include all the time spent on the rink and playing hockey with my teammates.”

Daniels is also the president of the Risk Management & Insurance Club at Mercyhurst. Per the Mercyhurst website, the purpose of the RSCO is to “promote, encourage, and sustain student interest in insurance, risk management, and actuarial science as professions; to encourage the high moral and scholastic attainments of its members; and to facilitate interactions of educational institutions and industry by forecasting research activities, scholarship, and improved public relations.”

In addition to his skills on the ice rink, Daniels also works hard in all of his classes and focuses a lot on his studying, which did not go unnoticed by the professors who worked with him.

“He is always very well-prepared and does well in class,” said Mark Simpson, professor and program director of the Finance program.

“What impresses me most is the project performance. He is very meticulous about completeness, timeliness, and accuracy, most of the time with very little guidance.”

“I found Devon to be persistent and determined,” said Mahtab Athari, Ph.D., assistant Finance professor.

“He was motivated and focused during class, and he recognized the importance of a strong work ethic and intellectual inquiry.”

Daniels also added that he also enjoyed having the opportunity to work with Gary Sullivan, Ph.D., who was the former director of the F.W. Hirt Erie Insurance Risk Management program at Mercyhurst.

The award was an honor for Daniels to receive, and he recognizes the work and dedication that he put in.

“I was truly honored and proud to receive this award,” said Daniels. “I put in a lot of hard work in school and through the summer internship.”

Daniels also recognizes the people and experiences that he had along the way that helped to get him to where he is currently. He notes that his professors, classes, and experiences at Mercyhurst helped pave the way and give him valuable knowledge both for his internship, and after graduation.

“I am extremely grateful for the experiences and people I worked with, especially my mentors and WSIA for their guidance and support,” said Daniels.

Daniels’ internship will take place in London, England on a three-week, all-expenses-paid trip abroad. Daniels’ accomplishment is one that is honorable and deserves to be applauded, and his accomplishments and hard work as a student are a huge honor to Mercyhurst.