The Actuarial Club started the year off strong with our fall kickoff event. With over 125 club members and faculty in attendance, including 50 first-year/new students, our kickoff allowed us to establish our actuarial community here at UW Madison. With changes to degree requirements, many first-year students are now taking our introductory actuarial course, Interest Theory, in their first semester here at UW. This has provided an opportunity for them to get involved with the club and start building connections early in their college careers.
Attendance at our fall kickoff event is the highest it has been in recent years, and this was only a start for the semester. We also saw a 60% increase in participants in our mentorship program this year. With 100 students engaging in the program, members are placed in ‘family’ groups with other students who share similar interests but who are in varying points of their actuarial journeys.
Across our eight educational enrichment presentations this semester, including employer presentations, we saw almost an 18% increase in attendance compared to last academic year. Our presentations covered a variety of industry topics, offering students valuable educational experiences by helping them apply their knowledge beyond the classroom.
Our five volunteering events this semester allowed members to come together and enact positive change in the Madison community. The club’s most notable contributions were our “Everyday Essentials Drive,” where club members donated over 60 items to Bethel Church, and our Veterans Day Card Writing event.
The Actuarial Club’s six social events this semester allowed members to foster connections with other club members in informal environments. We started the semester with an outdoor games social while the weather in Madison was still enjoyable, carved pumpkins for Halloween, attended a Badger hockey game, and more!
The club also saw an increase in engagement during our lunch discussions: Lessons in Life & Leadership on Tuesdays, and Common Thread Gatherings every other Thursday. These discussions are not for credit and are hosted for leadership development and thoughtful conversation, with different topics in each session. We saw a steady increase in attendance from last academic year, and students coming back each week ready to engage with their peers and our faculty.
Our intramural teams also found success this semester. Most notably, our intramural basketball team, “Force of Interest,” went undefeated in the regular season and is heading into the playoffs hoping to make it to the championship.
As we head into winter break, our officers and committees are eagerly planning for the spring semester! The club hopes to see similar increased attendance and engagement from all club members as we continue to strengthen our actuarial community at UW Madison.