Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) and Society of Actuaries (SOA) Host Three Be An Actuary Programs in the Span of One Month
Arlington, Va. – March 18, 2021 – The Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) and Society of Actuaries (SOA) recently hosted three Be An Actuary programs in conjunction with Arizona State University, DePaul University and Temple University.
The virtual events were the first multi-classroom initiatives developed to introduce Black, Hispanic and Native American high school students to the actuarial profession as a career choice. Research on barriers to entry for underrepresented groups into the actuarial profession shows that it is a lack of knowledge about the profession until late in college that prevents students from pursuing the career. This lack of awareness puts them at a disadvantage relative to other students, as many employers look to hire students who have passed a few actuarial exams and completed an internship before offering full-time employment.
Over 70 actuarial volunteers worked with over 500 students from schools with a highly diverse populations in three states. The program kicked-off with a 10-minute video that explained the actuarial profession, along with several first-hand stories from actuaries about why they chose the career. The video was followed by a 45-60 minute volunteer-led session that took students through a variety of logic and problem-solving questions. The program concluded by sharing resources available through the Organization of Latino Actuaries (OLA), the International Association of Black Actuaries (IABA), the Sexuality and Gender Alliance of Actuaries (SAGAA), and the CAS/SOA Be An Actuary.org website.
“What a great day! My students heard from actual actuaries, participated in real world actuarial problem solving, and learned more about the career. I was thrilled when two of my students said that they would be investigating actuarial science as a major in college. Thank you for bringing the actuarial world to my students!”
— Marianna Jennings, Prosser Academy, Chicago, IL
Traditionally, High School Actuarial Day has been an in-person event hosted under the Be An Actuary brand with universities and local high schools. The Virtual High School Actuarial Day was created in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and piloted in September with Arizona State University.
Interested in helping organize your own Virtual Be An Actuary event? For more information and to apply, visit the Be An Actuary Day page on BeAnActuary.org or contact Beth Gall or Margaret Kerr.
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About the Casualty Actuarial Society
The Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) is a leading international organization for credentialing and professional education. CAS credentials demonstrate the expertise to identify, analyze and advise on the potential financial impact of risk and uncertainty. Professionals educated by the Casualty Actuarial Society empower business and government to make well-informed strategic, financial, and operational decisions.
About the Society of Actuaries
With roots dating back to 1889, the Society of Actuaries (SOA) is the world’s largest actuarial professional organization with more than 32,000 actuaries as members. Through research and education, the SOA’s mission is to advance actuarial knowledge and enhance actuaries' ability to provide expert advice and relevant solutions for financial, business and societal challenges. The SOA’s vision is for actuaries to be the leading professionals in the measurement and management of risk.
