The Canadian Institute of Actuaries (CIA) and the Actuarial Students’ National Association (ASNA) are pleased to announce the winners of the inaugural ASNA-CIA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Scholarships. The scholarships – each granting $3,000 – are comprised of three awards, with two winners being selected for 2023:
- The Inclusive Culture Award, awarded to Navneet Kaur, a student at the University of Calgary.
- The Academic Achievement Award, awarded to Varesh Kumar Beeharry, who studies at the University of Prince Edward Island.
The third scholarship, the Indigenous Award, was not awarded this year due to limited applicants.
The awards were conferred at the CIA gala dinner at the 33rd ANÉA-ASNA Convention in Toronto on January 14. They serve to support individuals from underrepresented groups working toward Associateship or Fellowship with the CIA and further recognize those who have dedicated themselves to advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in the actuarial community.
More specifically, the scholarships aim to increase Indigenous representation in the actuarial profession, recognize outstanding efforts toward making Canada’s actuarial community more diverse and inclusive, and provide financial support based on demonstrated need to help students achieve their professional qualification goals.
“The CIA is proud to partner with ASNA in offering scholarships to these exceptional individuals,” says CIA President Hélène Pouliot, FCIA. “We recognize that excellence must be nurtured, and we are committed to reducing barriers and providing new and equitable opportunities to join the profession.”
“ASNA is extremely grateful for the continued support of the CIA in initiatives which promote the education of actuarial students across Canada. We are so proud to be launching these scholarships, which we hope will aid in equitable representation of actuarial students of various backgrounds in diversifying the Canadian actuarial community.”
The CIA is currently transforming the education system for Canadian actuaries by providing innovative, flexible and accessible options for candidates from diverse backgrounds and with a broad range of career goals. Subscribe to the CIA education mailing list for further news and updates, or visit the CIA education website for more information.
