Dean's Medalist enjoys challenge of actuarial science

Editor's note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable fall 2021 graduates.

Joe Simpson is the fall 2021 Dean’s Medalist for the School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences.

He will graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in actuarial science. He has an impressive GPA of 4.21 and excelled in the most challenging senior level and graduate level actuarial science courses.

He earned the New American University Scholarship and Optumas Actuarial Science Scholarship. He also received the Moeur Award, given to undergraduate students with a 4.0 GPA who earned all of their courses at ASU within eight consecutive fall and spring semesters with no transfer hours.

Simpson chose Arizona State University because of its great resources and world-renowned faculty. He began in engineering but fairly quickly realized that was not for him. He heard about the actuarial science program, which led him to sign up for ACT 201.

“Looking back now, I don’t believe I would have discovered actuarial science had I not chosen to attend ASU,” Simpson said.

In the Introduction to Actuarial Science course, he learned about the many opportunities of an actuarial career and found himself challenged intellectually throughout the course.

“While it was certainly the most difficult course I took my freshman year, ACT 201 proved to be exceedingly rewarding and solidified my desire to study actuarial science,” he said.

Simpson took advantage of ASU’s strong relationship with actuarial industry partners by completing an internship with Nationwide E&S/Specialty as a pricing actuarial intern. He currently interns at Optumas, where he assists with developing capitation rates for various state Medicaid programs.

This semester he also worked at the ACT Lab, where he collaborated with a team of students and faculty to work on interesting real-world projects from the local insurance industry.

To become credentialed, actuaries have to pass a series of professional exams. Simpson has already passed three actuarial exams and is sitting for his fourth exam in the spring.

In addition to his academic achievements, Simpson has served in leadership roles with ASU Navigators, a Christian based student club. He has also tutored fourth and fifth grade refugee students in math as a volunteer for the Community and Outreach Advocacy for Refugees, a non-profit organization that supports locally resettled refugees in their efforts to rebuild positive, self-sufficient lives.

“Joey is a bright and personable guy who I expect to be a very successful actuary. His experiences here at ASU as a member of Gamma Iota Sigma, an intern at local companies, a researcher in the ACT lab, and in the classroom will make him a highly attractive candidate to employers,” said John Zicarelli, a professor of practice in ASU’s actuarial science program, and former vice president and chief actuary for Scottsdale Insurance Company with over 30 years of experience in the industry.

After graduation, Simpson plans to stay at ASU to complete his 4+1 master’s degree in actuarial science. After graduate school, he hopes to work as an actuarial analyst in the healthcare field. We asked him to share more about his journey as a Sun Devil.

Question: What is something you learned while at ASU — in the classroom or otherwise — that surprised you, that changed your perspective?

Answer: Something I learned at ASU that surprised me was how quickly it is possible to build strong relationships both with students and faculty. I feel as though I have built many such relationships that I hope will last my entire life.

Q: Which professor taught you the most important lesson while at ASU?

A: Jelena Milovanovic has taught me many important lessons throughout my time at ASU, and her guidance has been essential to my success. Arguably the most important thing she has taught me is how essential it is to network, get involved and get out of my comfort zone.

Q: What is the best piece of advice you would give to those still in school?

A: The best piece of advice I would give to those still in school is to take the time to build relationships with your peers and with industry professionals as much as possible. Many of these relationships have assisted me in my career and have grown into strong friendships.

Q: What do you like most about mathematics?

A: My favorite part of mathematics, specifically in the actuarial context, is the way it challenges me to think critically to solve complicated, real-world problems in a multitude of different fields. I have thoroughly enjoyed being able to take what I have learned in my courses at ASU and apply that knowledge in my internship.

Q: What was your favorite spot on campus, whether for studying, meeting friends or just thinking about life?

A: My favorite spot on campus is the “Harry Potter room” in the Barrett (Honors College) dining hall. It has always been a great place for me to meet with friends, relax and enjoy a nice meal.

Q: What do you like to do in your spare time for fun?

A: In my spare time I enjoy spending time with friends doing anything from playing video games, to playing sports, to just sitting down and talking. I have learned the value of having solid friends to live life with and I love enjoying life with them.

Q: What do you think is most misunderstood about math by the general public?

A: I think the variety of ways math is applicable, present and important to everyday life is vastly misunderstood by the general public. Principles of mathematics are all around us every single day, and they are essential to life in general. While not everyone needs to completely comprehend math, I do believe it is necessary for people to respect and recognize its importance.

Q: If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?

A: If someone gave me $40 million to solve a problem on our planet, I would seek to tackle the lack of access to clean water and food that faces far too many people. I would fund research for sustainable methods of solving these issues long term in hopes of helping as many as possible both now and in the future.