Providing Great Opportunities: An Actuarial Day for Illinois High School Students
By Marta Jimenez-Lutter and Krzysztof Ostaszewski
Expanding Horizons, August 2025
On April 22, 2025, the Society of Actuaries (SOA) and the Illinois State University (ISU) Actuarial Program held an Actuarial Day for high school and college students on the ISU campus. It was part of a series of such events that the SOA sponsors and helps organize on college campuses to inspire future generations of actuaries and popularize the actuarial profession among high school and college students.
In 2025, U.S. News and World Report ranked actuarial careers as follows:[1]
- No. 5 in Best Technology Jobs
- No. 7 in Best Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Jobs
- No. 10 in 100 Best Jobs
Despite high ranking by both government and private sources, many high school students are unfamiliar with actuarial science. Before 2020, the profession’s visibility had increased, but the COVID-19 pandemic, which required lengthy periods of online teaching and limited personal communication, removed actuarial careers from high school students’ radar. The SOA and ISU are working hard to overcome this problem.
The Actuarial Program at Illinois State University is an SOA Center of Actuarial Excellence, with University-Earned Credit. The program has also achieved Gold Level (the highest) in the Casualty Actuarial Society University Recognition System, and Illinois State University is a Global Center of Insurance Excellence. The program has made convincing high school students to study mathematics and consider actuarial careers a high priority, and high school outreach is an important part of this work.
A Day of Learning and Inspiration
The 2025 Actuarial Day welcomed approximately 120 high school students, teachers and counselors from across the state of Illinois. We had especially large representation from John F. Kennedy High School in Chicago, thanks to the efforts of Joseph Irizarry, a mathematics teacher at the school, who has been a good friend of ISU’s Actuarial Program. The morning session was dedicated to high school students and was filled with engaging activities, practical insights and opportunities to explore the fascinating field of actuarial science. Participants kicked off the day with an introduction to the actuarial profession, learning directly from SOA staff about great career opportunities in this field. Students then heard from a panel of industry professionals, who candidly shared their personal journeys, daily responsibilities and the skill sets required to succeed as an actuary. We are very grateful to the panelists, who included seasoned actuaries and relatively recent graduates now thriving in their careers—including some ISU alumni—who generously volunteered their time to answer questions and inspire students with their stories. Leaders of the student Actuarial Club at ISU also contributed through interactions with the visiting high school students. After the morning session, discussions with the panelists continued at students’ lunch tables.
The afternoon session was dedicated to current college students, with approximately 25 students participating. An interactive Kahoot! game, featuring questions about actuarial science and mathematical concepts, added a competitive and fun element to the program. It was followed by a discussion with a panel of practicing actuaries, who presented their own experiences and answered many questions from the students.
Conclusion
Students and teachers alike expressed their gratitude for the event, and many high school students noted that it was their first truly informative exposure to the actuarial profession. There was a lot of energy and enthusiasm, as students realized how important mathematics applications are in both insurance and the entire economy.
This event would not have been possible without the support and dedication of the volunteers, organizers and industry professionals who contributed their time and expertise. We are most grateful to everyone who helped to create this event and to the students who participated in it.
This article is provided for informational and educational purposes only. Neither the Society of Actuaries nor the respective authors’ employers make any endorsement, representation or guarantee with regard to any content, and disclaim any liability in connection with the use or misuse of any information provided herein. This article should not be construed as professional or financial advice. Statements of fact and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and are not necessarily those of the Society of Actuaries or the respective authors’ employers.
Marta Jimenez-Lutter is a manager of Student and Candidate Engagement at the Society of Actuaries. Marta can be reached at mjimenez-lutter@soa.org.
Krzysztof Ostaszewski, Ph.D., FSA, CERA, CFA, FSAS, is distinguished professor of mathematics and Actuarial Program director at Illinois State University. Krzysztof can be reached at krzysio@ilstu.edu.