Power of A: Actuarial Foundation’s Multiplier Effect | Money & Business - Associations Now

The Actuarial Foundation’s math tutoring program keeps adding impact by Mark Athitakis, contributing editor for Associations Now.

Photo: choking/Getty Images

A board member of the Actuarial Foundation had an idea in 2016. He knew that there were public-school students in Hartford, Connecticut, who were struggling with math. Actuaries and actuarial students were using math every day. Would it be possible to connect the two groups?

In response, the Foundation organized a call to actuarial students at the University of Connecticut, and about 50 immediately volunteered. From that initial outreach, the program, now called Math Motivators, has expanded fast: The Foundation links 600 volunteers to students at 20 middle schools and high schools in Hartford and operates programs in Chicago; Minneapolis/St. Paul; Seattle; Lincoln, Nebraska; Springfield, Massachusetts; and Portland, Maine. A Boston program launches this year.

The Foundation now has one of the good problems that come with success—a waiting list of schools hoping to participate in the program...

“We’ve seen a lot of questions and answers with the students and mentors and tutors,” he says. “‘How did you become an actuary? Why did you become an actuary? What college did you go to? What’s your job like?’ It’s really been a thoughtful conversation. They’re learning from each other.”
Read more...

Source: Associations Now