The UW Actuarial Club has started this year off with a bang, offering a plethora of engaging events designed to help our members give back to our community, prepare themselves for their careers, and foster connections that last far beyond college.
We are very excited that our membership is continuing to grow each year. This semester, we have over 250 members, the largest our club has been in the last 5 years. This substantial increase in those interested in actuarial science is especially illustrated by our introductory course ACT SCI 303: Theory of Interest, which has over 80 students currently enrolled. This has translated into record-breaking attendance at all club events: 30+ members gathering for socials and volunteering events, more than 80 students attending our bi-weekly employer presentations, and nearly 100 students comprising 11 “families” in our mentorship program.
At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, we have a lot to take for granted, which is why we want to give back via our volunteering events. We kicked off this semester with a Lakeshore Path Clean-Up event, an hour-long walk through campus where we collected trash from walkways, streets, and treelines. We have also hosted a variety of events focused on helping those in need. One of these events was our Friendship Bracelet Drive, during which club members made over 50 friendship bracelets to donate to a local children’s hospital with letters of support and encouragement. We also ran our annual Veteran Letter Drive, where we wrote letters to veterans acknowledging their sacrifice and thanking them for all they have done to keep our country safe. Later in the semester, we plan to host an event creating posters for the local humane society and to work with another organization to collect hygiene supplies to assist underrepresented neighborhoods.
At its core, our club is meant to help prepare students for their future careers. We do this via our mentorship program, employer presentations, and weekly lunchtime discussions. Our mentorship program offers students the ability to ask upperclassmen questions they may not be comfortable asking professionals or professors, inquire about future classes, and learn more about what internships and the hiring process are like. Through our employer presentations this semester, we have brought in representatives from Pinnacle, Allianz, Early, American Family, and Milliman to present on topics such as captives, annuities, modeling, and Medicare. These presentations offer our students an opportunity to learn the specifics of what they might be doing if they went into that industry. These presentations are always followed by networking (and free food!) to allow members the opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with our presenters and ask any questions they might have.
We also have two weekly discussions that focus on developing our members both professionally and personally. Our Lessons in Life and Leadership discussion explores how to practice a growth mindset and achieve success in your career and home life, and our Common Threads discussion encourages understanding and appreciation of yourself and of those around you. A well-rounded job candidate is one that is aware of themselves and those around them, one who treats others with respect and celebrates diverse perspectives, and one who knows how to be an effective leader. Our weekly discussions allow each of our members to grow into the best version of themselves that embodies each of these qualities.
In addition to these career-oriented activities and events, the Actuarial Club also aims to foster lifelong relationships among its members. We encourage these relationships through events meant to connect students from every background across all experience levels. These events include socials, intramurals, and mentorship events, all aimed at connecting students in different ways.
Our socials this year have included decorating succulent pots, carving pumpkins, and even hosting a pickleball tournament. The Act Sci intramural teams have, of course, dominated fields and courts, with a total of six teams that participated in basketball, football, soccer, and volleyball. Additionally, our mentorship program pairs underclassmen with experienced junior and senior mentors. While these relationships are used for academic and career advice, they also foster relationships between students across our program. All of these events encourage stronger social ties between our members, resulting in both a stronger actuarial community and memories that will last a lifetime.
As this semester comes to an end, our club is already beginning to look to the future. Our club’s officers and committee members are excited to offer more opportunities for our students to give back to their communities, develop their professional personalities, and connect with each other in the coming semester. See you next Spring!
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