Two Actuarial Science students receive the Massam Memorial Award

Two Actuarial Science majors are awarded the 2021 - 2022 Hélène Massam Memorial Prize, given annually to the best Society of Actuaries' Exam P performers.

Leonard Buglak

Leonard Buglak and Kevin JeongJae Park, respectively, 4th and 2nd year students in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at York University majoring in Actuarial Science, were recognized with a prestigious Prize named after the late Professor Hélène Massam. The Prize is awarded annually to those students that pass the Probability Exam of the Society of Actuaries (SoA) with the highest final grade. The Prize comes with a cash-value, which is meant to serve as reimbursement of the exam fee.

Kevin JeongJae Park

Mr. Buglak, who starts his actuarial career in October 2022 with an Actuarial Analyst position at Sun Life Financial, says that the Prize "is going to serve as additional motivation to go forward in a complicated actuarial career path." Mr. Park, who is finishing his 2nd year with three SoA exams passed, concludes that the recognition will be "a big boost", helping him reach further and achieve more.

Professor Hélène Massam (1949 - 2020) was a prominent Mathematics and Statistics Scholar who made numerous seminal contributions in the area of Wishart distributions and graphical models; an outstanding Educator and Mentor; and an exceptional human being who, through her generosity and spirit, touched lives of many students and faculty members at York University and beyond.