Hamilton High School students in Penny Komatz’s Statistics class were treated to firsthand information about a career focused on mathematics Jan. 8 when Jenny Docea gave a guest presentation. Docea, an actuary for Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, discussed requirements for students interested in pursuing a career in actuarial science. She explained desirable qualities for a person in this field and positions actuaries hold in many companies and organizations. Docea described potential job stability and salaries compared to other mathematics-related fields.
Docea engaged students by asking them to solve questions from a real actuarial exam. Students applied their knowledge in sampling and probability when challenged to generate a mock insurance plan for cell phone users. They developed a likely policy premium as they considered factors associated with cell phone use.