GSRM Student Makes History

Liam Benjamin ‘21TCB may be the top actuarial science student in the U.S. this year.

The native of St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, and current resident of Hollis, Queens has passed more actuarial professional examinations than any student in the history of the Maurice R. Greenberg School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science (GSRM) as he proceeds toward achieving professional designation as an associate of the Society of Actuaries (SOA). Along the way, he earned a place on the Dean’s List with a perfect 4.0 GPA.

“It usually takes about five years for an aspiring actuary to achieve designation as an SOA associate,” said Mark J. Browne, Ph.D., GSRM Faculty Chair and the Robert Clements Distinguished Chair in Risk Management and Insurance. Benjamin, who has passed seven of the required examinations and has earned the validation by education in experience (VEE) credits in four other areas, is on track to accomplish this feat in only three years. The only requirements he needs to complete are an online course in Fundamentals of Actuarial Practice and a one-day workshop in Associate Professionalism.

“Knowing that GSRM is designated as a Center of Actuarial Excellence by SOA, I knew that I would get a quality education if I came here,” said Benjamin. “I was also excited to go to school in the Big Apple, a place with so many professional and recreational opportunities.”

Approximately two thirds of GSRM actuarial science students graduate having passed two of the SOA’s required exams. Before Benjamin, three GSRM students were able to pass five SOA exams by graduation.

“Liam is not just a bookworm,” said his advisor, Ping Wang, Ph.D., Aon Endowed Professor of Risk Management and Insurance at GSRM. “He served as president of the St. John’s chapter of Gamma Iota Sigma, the industry’s professional fraternity, and as a member of the actuarial club. He also served as a student ambassador, visiting local high schools with the GSRM faculty and staff to promote the actuarial science program and the University.”

During his studies at GSRM, Benjamin became a member of the President’s Society, the University’s highest honor society, and completed actuarial internships at New York Life and Swiss Re.

“I have gotten a lot more than an actuarial science education here at St. John’s,” said Benjamin. “Although I am very happy that I was able to differentiate myself through exam progress, I am also lucky that I had an incredible number of other opportunities to differentiate myself and grow professionally by experiencing insurance and reinsurance markets in Dublin, London, and Zurich during GSRM’s Global Destination Course.”

Benjamin will join global accounting and consulting firm EY as an actuarial consultant in September.