The Society of Actuaries visited MSU Thursday evening to host a panel discussion for any students weighing their options on the university’s new actuarial science program — one of the newest majors on campus.
Faculty from the national society, as well as professional actuaries from the Lansing area, attended the event to help students learn about the profession firsthand.
There are about 20 students currently enrolled in the actuarial science major and about 100 working toward the specialization, said Albert Cohen, MSU’s actuarial science program coordinator.
“They’re bringing real-life actuaries to talk about what their experience has been like (and) what the paths to entry are like, and, of course, when you’re a student, there’s always that disconnect of what it’s like in the real world,” Cohen said.
Many people don’t really understand what an actuary is and what they do, said Lisamarie Lukas, director of communications for the Society of Actuaries.
“People often have misconceptions that (actuaries) only work in insurance and that their jobs are all about being behind the scenes, which is not the truth,” she said.
Actuaries are business professionals who analyze both the consequences and the opportunities of risk in a variety of fields, Lukas said. They work in fields including finance, investment, insurance and health care.
“It’s really bringing the career to life for students,” she said.
MSU began offering the actuarial science major during the summer 2011 semester, and having the panel event is a big step forward for the young program, Cohen said.
“It’s a wonderful thing simply because we are able to showcase our program but also get a better understanding of what they look for in a world-class program, which is what we hope to become,” he said.
Before the event, the members of the society met with MSU faculty and advisers to discuss the program and give feedback, Cohen said.
Hearing about real-world experiences is the reason mathematics sophomore David Tacia wanted to attend the event, he said. Tacia, who is specializing in actuarial science, was looking forward to learning more information to help him decide if he wants to continue on the actuarial path.
“I don’t want to dive right into actuarial science because there’s a possibility I could be restricting myself, and I might not end up liking it,” Tacia said.
Having the Society of Actuaries on campus to speak with students is a one of the “foundational steps” to growing the program at MSU, Cohen said.
“Michigan State is looking to become one of the world leaders in the future in actuarial science and research,” Cohen said.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
