Mercer Government invests in ASU actuarial program to drive positive change in public health care

A gift from Mercer Government Human Services Consulting will help provide scholarships for actuarial science students in the School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, part of The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University.

The initiative aims to empower the next generation of actuaries who will contribute to the sustainability and effectiveness of public health care programs. By investing in aspiring actuaries, Mercer Government seeks to alleviate financial barriers that may hinder their educational pursuits and career advancement. 

“Mercer Government has been a tremendous supporter of our school, and they have been particularly generous on initiatives that reinforce the importance of representation in shaping mathematics and actuarial science,” Foundation Professor and School Director Donatella Danielli said. “This scholarship is an exemplary display of ASU’s Charter at work.”

Mercer Government helps state governments improve their Medicaid programs, which provide healthcare to low-income individuals and families. The company offers expertise in creating better healthcare policies, enhancing care quality, performing financial and actuarial analyses, and achieving better health outcomes for people who rely on these services. They work with states to make the Medicaid system more effective and efficient, ensuring that it meets the needs of the communities it serves, and leads to healthier lives for millions of people.

Katherine Long is a partner and client manager at Mercer Government who oversees engagement with state Medicaid agencies and is a third generation Sun Devil. As local leader in the Women at Mercer colleague resource group, she championed the initiative as a way to support students in alignment with Mercer’s commitment to nurturing future talent pools that will be equipped to address complex challenges in public finance, ultimately driving positive change in communities across the nation.

“It has been exciting to watch how much the actuarial science program has grown since I went to ASU. What began as a club has evolved into a highly regarded Center of Actuarial Excellence,” said Long. “I’m very proud to have that designation associated with ASU.”

Long stays connected to ASU by serving on the Actuarial Science Advisory Board and visiting campus several times per year, including giving presentations at the actuarial club meetings. She also loves sharing experiences like Homecoming with her kids, who she hopes will become future Sun Devils.

Elizabeth Wei is the first recipient of the Mercer Women in Actuarial Sciences Scholarship.

She just completed her first year at ASU, majoring in actuarial science. She is an outstanding student who passed her first professional actuarial exam (Actuarial Probability) while still a senior in high school. This spring she passed her second actuarial exam in Financial Mathematics. Passing two demanding professional exams before finishing a first year of college is uncommon and demonstrates Wei’s determination to becoming an actuary.

She works as a finance aide on campus for the Global Futures Laboratory to help finance her fulltime studies at ASU. This summer she will be an actuarial intern with Humana and hopes to improve her programming skills and gain insights into the health insurance industry. She is also an active member of the Gamma Iota Sigma Kappa chapter at ASU, where she continues to learn and grow alongside fellow actuarial science students.

“Becoming a fully credentialed actuary has been a dream of mine since I first discovered the profession as a high school sophomore. This scholarship significantly supports that dream by easing the financial burden of college tuition and exam preparation,” said Wei. 

“I chose to major in actuarial science at ASU because of the strength of its program and its proximity to home. I couldn't be happier with my decision. I’ve felt supported and encouraged by every actuarial science professor I’ve had the privilege of learning from. After graduation, I plan to pursue the Society of Actuaries track and become a health actuary."

Jelena Milovanovic, professor of practice and coordinator of the actuarial science program at ASU, said the scholarship will be a game changer for students.

“This gift will enable the best and brightest students to pursue an actuarial career, some of whom will become health actuaries shaping the future of public health care.”