COLUMBUS, Ga. - Aflac and Columbus State University have started a co-op that puts 20 sophomores to work in the insurer's claims operation for three years while they finish their degrees, according to a Columbus State article published Oct. 21. The students are Aflac employees, and they can continue into full-time careers with the company after graduation. The program began the summer before the article and is built around workspaces on the Columbus State campus.

For a city that is home to Aflac's worldwide headquarters, the co-op is a direct link between the classroom and one of Columbus' best-known employers. It also shows how the university is working toward a goal of giving every undergraduate a degree-relevant, hands-on learning experience by 2030. The article describes the co-op as supporting three of the university's four strategic priorities.

How the co-op is structured

The inaugural cohort is made up of 20 sophomores majoring in business, data analytics, computer science, health sciences or kinesiology, according to Columbus State. Their first summer was an intensive training program of 40 hours a week during the first half of the term, worth three academic credits. During the school year the schedule drops to a flexible 20 hours a week so the students can keep up with classes.

The students work from access-restricted spaces on campus, in the Synovus Center for Commerce & Technology, home of the Turner College of Business & Technology, and in Frank Brown Hall, home of the College of Education & Health Professions. The university did not say how many square feet the spaces cover or how many claims the group handles. Access to the areas is restricted, according to the article.

Pay, benefits and mentors

Columbus State says the students are Aflac employees who earn well above minimum wage, with annual raises expected. Part-time benefits include paid time off, additional health insurance options and 401(k) planning. The article did not list an hourly rate.

Each student is paired with an Aflac employee through the company's TEACH internal mentoring program and attends regular roundtable meetings. Heather Runci, a 2000 Columbus State business administration graduate who joined Aflac in 2001, oversees the co-op. Her path from the university to the company is the kind the program hopes to repeat.

What company and campus leaders said

Mike Johnson, Aflac's vice president for claims, said the co-op could scale to other Aflac business units and locations. Chad Melvin, Aflac's vice president of human resources and talent, said the university is a natural talent pipeline for the company. Dr. Stuart Rayfield, Columbus State's president, said the co-op supports three of the university's four strategic priorities.

Rayfield said, "Our goal is to prepare students to solve real-world problems from day one." Johnson's remark points to possible growth beyond the first group. The article did not announce a start date or size for a second cohort.

Why it matters for local students

A student who starts as a sophomore in this program works for Aflac through the end of an undergraduate degree, according to the three-year design Columbus State described. The students are paid and receive benefits while they study. Graduates also have the option to continue into full-time careers with the company.

Students who want to apply for future cohorts should ask Columbus State's career services or their college's advising office, since the article did not describe an application process or deadline. Aflac is headquartered in Columbus, so the co-op keeps the training close to home. Columbus State says the program supports three of its four strategic priorities.