The Actuarial Society of Columbia University (ASCU) has elected its new board, welcoming its first all-female leadership team. Under new directorship, ASCU plans to build on the momentum of the previous board’s work to forge stronger bonds within Columbia’s Actuarial Society and beyond, and to bring greater awareness to the profession overall.
Jiaqi Huang assumed the role of president of ASCU, with Christine Yang serving beside her as vice president. Gloria Wang was named the new secretary, Sylvia Chen became treasurer, and Olivia Suarez is the new social chair and head of PR.
As a University-recognized organization, ASCU supplements the networking and professional development opportunities of Columbia’s M.S. in Actuarial Science program and is a channel for student-led initiatives. ASCU’s stated mission is to assist Columbia’s future actuaries in career development, but the new board also views ASCU as a potential community for connection beyond academics.
“Our top priorities are to strengthen our internal community and expand our external outreach,” Huang and Yang shared. “We’d love to make our own events more interactive, fun, and inclusive, with more casual touchpoints and recognition of our members’ achievements,” they explained.
“Externally, we want to bridge connections with other SPS cohorts, our alumni, and actuarial societies at other schools,” Huang and Yang said. All students in the Actuarial Science program are members of ASCU, but not all ASCU members are Actuarial Science students. The openness of the community means that other students within the Columbia University School of Professional Studies with an interest in actuarial science—such as those in the Applied Analytics, Insurance Management, and Enterprise Risk Management programs—may also participate in ASCU activities.
What the new ASCU board members have in common is a shared love of actuarial science and a mission to connect with others like them. In addition to planning more alumni networking opportunities and fun events that bring together the community, Wang noted the previous board’s work to engage national student actuary organizations like Gamma Iota Sigma and the current board’s intention to continue to pursue outside partnerships.
Suarez joined the board, in part, to bring greater awareness to the profession she is so passionate about. “We’re the only Ivy that does actuarial science,” she said. “It’s generally a small profession, but [actuaries] play a huge role in so many people’s lives.” Suarez recently started a “Day in the Life” series on social media in the hopes of educating more people about ASCU and what it’s like to be an Actuarial Science student.
For Yang, ASCU played an important role in helping her settle into her time at Columbia, and joining the board was just one way of giving back. “I was really inspired by the previous ASCU board, who made me feel instantly welcome to the Actuarial Science program at Columbia,” she noted. “I wanted to carry that same energy and contribute directly to foster a community that is both supportive and connected.”
The groundwork that ASCU’s current board is laying to create new opportunities for fellow students will hopefully remain in place for their future peers in the years to come. New students in Columbia’s M.S. in Actuarial Science program will have access to these rewards as automatic members of the ASCU. And if these students decide, like this year’s board, to put their extra effort toward giving back to the community, they’ll get back what they put in—and maybe even a little bit more.
Learn more about the Actuarial Society of Columbia University at their website here.
About the Program
The Master of Science in Actuarial Science program at Columbia University is internationally renowned for its breakthrough curriculum and esteemed faculty. The program equips students with the tools, skills, and knowledge to excel in today’s rapidly evolving actuarial and related workplaces, with a course of study designed to anticipate and exceed industry needs. Students are prepared to assume leadership positions and meet ever-expanding opportunities. Columbia’s location in New York City, the financial and actuarial capital of the world, allows students access to the world’s foremost practitioners and leaders.
Learn more about the program here.
