Andrew Tuitt is attending Dillard University located in New Orleans, Louisiana. Andrew says he considered other universities to attend, but the financial package he received from the university was just what he needed. “I’m from Trinidad and Tobago and I decided to come to the United States because of the opportunities and because of education. I attend Dillard University. The professor I was studying with at home chose that university because he said it was a very good one and universities were chosen, but Dillard offered the best financial scholarship package so I decided to chose Dillard.”
Andrew is majoring in Mathematics so that one day he can become an actuary or a professor. “Here at Dillard the Mathematics major it comes with an automatic minor in computer Science, but the reason I chose Mathematics first and behold is because I would like to become an Actuary someday and even though Dillard doesn’t offer Actuarial Science as a major I think Mathematics would be a good stepping stone towards that direction so that is why I chose Mathematics,” he says. “Plus, I really enjoy doing Mathematics all my life since growing up I had fun with it I grew to love it and after studying Actuarial Science, I also like to be a professor, probably teach Mathematics some day.”
Just what is an Actuary? Andrew tells us. “An Actuary is someone who uses probability and statistics to calculate future chance and certainties anything to do with money, chance, risk, investments Actuaries are involved,” he says. “Like the chance a hurricane is going to hit or the probability reason this interest rate by this percent would give you this much profit, Actuaries are involved.”
Although Andrew is studying Mathematics, he says having a professor that is an actuary himself is a blessing to him because he can get a feel for what it really is like. “the exposure to the quality of professors is special here at Dillard, we have some of the greatest professors from all over the world, also professors from America here and its contribute because in my case even though I am majoring in Mathematics I was blessed to have a professor, Dr. Hongdia who was an Actuary himself and the research and competition or projects all related to Actuary Science, he guide me towards getting a feel for the subject even though I am not majoring in Mathematics he kind of groom me towards that profession, so it is an opportunity that I would not have at home because there are very, very few Actuaries at home probably less than ten and America has more opportunities towards that professional field.”
Andrew says all the things he has heard or seen on television when he was home, is just a small fraction of what America really is like. “In 2004, New Orleans it had snowed and it was my first time experiencing snow so it was fun, exciting and at the same time it was kind of pretty cold, but it was special because it was the first for everything, “ he says.
Plus, just being in America you hear so much about it from the T.V. and the T.V. shows, but when you come here and it kind of hits you in your face you will see so many people walking the streets New Orleans offers so much activity, you hear live music it’s so rich in culture, it’s so rich in personality it was an event that I won’t replace with anything,” he says. “Coming here was a great choice!
When Andrew graduates from Dillard, his plans are... “This is my senior year and I intend to graduate in May 2009 and I plan to go to graduate school and do a PhD program in Actuarial Science that is what my plans are.”
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