Get Connected With Your CAS Regional Affiliates
Dear future of actuarial science, are you making the most of your CAS Student Central membership? If not, you might want to consider doing so, and you can start by engaging with your local CAS Regional Affiliate. Your regional affiliates are here to guide you, and they are one of your best resources for an actuarial perspective and insight to the career, and ways you can better prepare yourself.
What are CAS Regional Affiliates?
CAS has regional affiliates all around the globe! There are a total of 18 to be exact. CAS Regional Affiliates are organizations of CAS members and candidates focused on geographic regions, like the Midwest or Mid-Atlantic states. Regional affiliates hold continuing education programs and undertake other activities to serve actuaries at the local level.
How Do I Get Started?
You can start engaging with your local CAS Regional Affiliate by locating your region in the Regional Affiliate List. Once you have located and clicked on your region, simply click the Join button to the right. You will be directed to another page where you can add yourself to the community. See example images below:
Once you’ve been added to the distribution list, you will receive emails regarding continuing education seminars, scholarship announcements, and more.
Why It’s Beneficial
Regional affiliates often host students at their events or put on other university outreach events throughout the year. This gives students the opportunity to meet actuaries, ask questions about the profession, network, and stay on top of current events.
The Regional Affiliate’s Perspective
Elizabeth Merritt, FCAS, who served four years on the board of the Midwest Actuarial Forum (MAF), started out as the MAF Education Officer. Most regional affiliates have education officers who coordinate student activities throughout the year. They are the key contacts for student opportunities. In addition to being a student contact, Elizabeth started university outreach programs and hosted a few panel discussions at universities in her region. As a Student Central member connected to a regional affiliate, you would most likely be hearing from the education officer within your region. Officer names, as well as contact information, can be found on the regional affiliate section of the CAS website.
In Elizabeth’s last two years on the MAF Board, she served as the Vice President and then President. During that time, her region’s education officer initiated a scholarship program for students who attended or lived near a school within the region.
“Being on the Board of the Midwest Actuarial Forum was a great experience. I learned a great deal from our continuing education seminars, and was able to meet and network with many professionals in the insurance and actuarial communities. In addition, I was able to make a connection with many students through my time as the education officer. When I think back to when I was a college student, I barely knew the CAS existed, let alone the regional affiliates. I am proud of the progress we have made to reach out to students, educate them about our careers and the CAS, and to offer educational, financial and networking opportunities that were previously unavailable.”
Be In the Know!
Scholarship information is one of the many perks of becoming connected to your regional affiliate. Other benefits include opportunities to learn what is needed and required of students who attain internships and full time employment at companies within the area.
Convinced yet? Don’t miss out. Start engaging now with a regional affiliate near you!