For generations, Columbia College and Shelter Insurance have stood among mid-Missouri’s most enduring institutions.
Today, the long-standing connection between the two community pillars continues through Shelter’s impactful corporate partnership with Columbia College. As a Columbia-based company with deep roots in the region, Shelter supports today’s students and tomorrow’s leaders while investing in the continued education of its workforce.
Through the partnership, Shelter employees, their spouses and dependents are eligible for reduced tuition at Columbia College, creating pathways for professional development and career advancement while encouraging lifelong learning. More than 130 Columbia College alumni currently work at Shelter, helping to fulfill the company’s mission to help customers “protect what matters most.”
“The storied histories of both Columbia College and Shelter Insurance mean a lot,” said Travis Nichols ’04, Chief Information Security Officer at Shelter Insurance. “The traditions mean a lot. And that carries weight here in town.”
Early in his career, Nichols enrolled in night classes at Columbia College, where he earned dual bachelor’s degrees in Computer Information Systems and Business Administration.
His undergraduate education gave him a “good, broad footprint” of technical and business skills that serve him well to this day. After working at Carfax and Veterans United, he now leads the Information Security program at Shelter, which was recently included on Forbes’ list of the World’s Best Insurance Companies for the third time.
The Shelter enterprise, which celebrates its 80th anniversary this year, serves customers in 20 states via a robust network of more than 1,300 agents and 2,200 employees.
Nichols’ goal is to help the organization move forward with confidence and try new things safely.
“We’re constantly learning, constantly growing, which is very much like my experience as a student at Columbia College,” Nichols said. “I had my day job, the normal things I was doing day-in, day-out, but then I was constantly growing and learning in the evenings so that I could do that job better. The education that I got helped me be well-rounded to take advantage of so many circumstances over the years.”
Valerie Ninichuck is another Shelter success story whose roots trace back to Columbia College, which is celebrating 175 years of improving lives through quality education.
Ninichuck took Early Elementary Education classes in the college’s Evening Program in the mid-2000s – a chapter she credits for instilling many of the values she brings to her work every day: patience, hard work, communication and the importance of listening.
“My experience at Columbia College was amazing from start to finish,” Ninichuck said. “Coming from a small rural town in Illinois, transitioning to college life in a bigger city was intimidating at first. I was nervous about adjusting academically and socially, especially because I knew I would need extra support in some of my classes.”
She credits the college environment itself as what made the biggest difference.
“The smaller class sizes allowed me to build real connections with my professors and classmates,” she said. “I felt comfortable asking questions, participating in discussions and getting the one-on-one help I needed to succeed. The professors were approachable and genuinely cared about helping students learn and grow.”
After working as an assistant for an agent in Columbia for eight years, Ninichuck has owned her own Shelter agency for five years and counting.
“The most fulfilling part for me is building real security for clients,” she said. “Whether it’s a client protecting their home or a family or business managing risk, I enjoy knowing that my work helps people avoid financial hardship when something unexpected happens.”
