Emma Engelbert thought she was going to become an engineer at Iowa State University, but her Advanced Placement (AP) statistics teacher encouraged her to think about statistics instead. She loved statistics in high school and decided to expand her knowledge base by majoring in it at Iowa State.
Engelbert graduated with a degree in statistics in Fall 2021.
After entering Iowa State, she had some favorite courses and professors:
- STAT 3010 (Intermediate Statistical Concepts and Methods) with Teaching Professor Laura Ziegler: Engelbert appreciated how statistics was applied in this course, especially the semester-long group project using a data set, mimicking real world application, to showcase what you learned to the rest of the course. She added, “That was the first time I approached a statistical project from front to end, and I really enjoyed the freedom given through the analysis.”
- STAT 2010 (Introduction to Statistical Concepts and Methods) with Associate Teaching Professor Kevin Kasper: This course confirmed majoring in statistics for Engelbert.
- MATH 2400 (Mathematics of Investment and Credit) and MATH 4410 (Life Contingencies I) with Associate Teaching Professor M. Adrian Jenkins (mathematics)
When reflecting on advice for statistics majors, Engelbert encourages students to use office hours to further your understanding on a topic. She also encourages students to maintain their efforts towards their studies and classes even if you’re confused because it will all click eventually. She also found that taking electives she was interested in helped her make additional connections to the statistics curriculum.
Beyond coursework, Engelbert was in a sorority and Actuarial Science Club Gamma Iota Sigma. She also served as Statistics Club treasurer and an international student conversation partner. Her favorite time on campus was during the fall semester because she loved the morale and community events surrounding homecoming.
Engelbert’s experiences in college taught her programming languages, how to approach a problem, and team environment skills. She uses these skills in her career as an actuary at Sammons Financial Group now.
Engelbert was an intern for three summers with Sammons Financial Group, who hired her for a full-time role after graduating in December 2021. She initially was based in Des Moines and is now working hybrid out of their Chicago office. She is on her second rotational assignment at the company and works on the life reinsurance team.
Within Engelbert’s role as actuarial associate, it is a combination of relationship management with third party reinsurers and working in actuarial models for risk and financial projects. She describes this as being both a manager of risks and opportunities and is enjoying the unique experience of being on the ceding side, rather than the assuming, of the insurance industry.
Engelbert achieved her final actuarial certification in December 2025 and is now a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries.