{"id":99721,"date":"2026-05-01T15:34:58","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T19:34:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/met\/?page_id=99721"},"modified":"2026-05-01T15:35:45","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T19:35:45","slug":"allen-chaves","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/met\/programs\/business-management\/stories\/allen-chaves\/","title":{"rendered":"MET\u2019s Personal Support for Online Learning Stands Out for Insurance Maven and Master\u2019s Graduate"},"content":{"rendered":"
Business & Management Programs<\/a>More Student Stories<\/a><\/div>\"HeadshotAllen Chaves (MET\u201923)
\nVice President, Executive Officer & Head of Personal Lines Product, Arbella Insurance<\/strong>
\nMS, Insurance Management<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

What motivated you to earn your master\u2019s degree at this point? Why did you choose to fulfill your goal at Metropolitan College?<\/strong>
\nEarning a master\u2019s was always something that I wanted to do. I choose Boston University\u2019s Metropolitan College because of the AACSB accreditation<\/a> it holds and for its connection to my CPCU designation, which I earned in 2006.<\/p>\n

What do you find most fascinating about the discipline of insurance management? Do you have a particular focus within the broader field?<\/strong>
\nInsurance has held my interest ever since I got my start right out of undergrad. There is always something to learn along with new challenges to face.<\/p>\n

Congratulations on your high achievement in the Insurance Management program and your Award for Excellence in your studies! What do you consider to be the main ingredients of your success?<\/strong>
\nLooking back, I took to academic research and writing quickly, and really enjoyed it. While not every class required the same amount, research and writing was something that\u2014once I got the hang of it\u2014became a strength of mine, which helped me with the written deliverables and discussion topics in each course.<\/p>\n

How were you able to successfully balance your studies with your commitments outside the classroom?<\/strong>
\nIt sounds clich\u00e9, but time management was the key for me, along with an incredibly supportive family who picked up the slack or understood when \u201cDaddy needed to do school-work after work-work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Was your success in the program driven by a particular outcome\u2014such as professional advancement, educational achievement, personal satisfaction, or something else?<\/strong>
\nMy drive was primarily to show my children that first and foremost education and life-long learning is important and secondly, that if you commit to something, to always try your best.<\/p>\n

Is there a particular course or project that enhanced your experience in the Insurance Management program? Please explain.<\/strong>
\nIn selecting my electives, I chose to concentrate on project management-related courses as they tied closely with an important part of my current professional role. Project and Program Governance with the late Virginia \u201cGinny\u201d Greiman was an especially well-timed course for me professionally, as it helped me to see the broader challenges that project organizations face.<\/p>\n

You were recognized by faculty and peers for your hard work and dedication to the Insurance Management program. What \u201cwords of advice\u201d or encouragement have served as a guiding principle, or simply inspiration, for you? Any words of wisdom you would like to pass along to students starting in the program?<\/strong>
\nI would say, make sure to leverage the tools and resources available to you, which includes the people who are there to support you. While a remote learning environment can sometimes feel like you are on an island, that isn\u2019t the case. Your professors and facilitators are there to help\u2014so don\u2019t hold back from asking questions!
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