Professional Visits Return to UNAM Chicago

Actuary students and professionals are the first to take advantage of this opportunity

After two long years in which face-to-face activities had to be suspended due to the pandemic, UNAM Chicago was finally able to resume its program of professional visits this early spring 2022.

In an emotional ceremony at its facilities, UNAM Chicago staff led by the Academic Secretary, Dr. Erika Erdely, welcomed the students who, are eager to take advantage of this opportunity, and did not hide their enthusiasm to finally be in the Windy City. Their enthusiasm did not dwindle, even after a long period in which they had to overcome a series of difficulties and restrictions resulting from the pandemic, such as their visa procedures, obtaining proof of vaccination, and Covid tests, just to mention a few.

The dream of this group of young people to be part of the program of professional visits for actuaries, which was scheduled for March 2020, had to be postponed along with practically all of the student mobility activities. These delays were necessary despite the fact that we had a full group that had purchased their plane tickets.

Professional visits consist of one or two-week programs during which students, or graduates from different careers, interact with professionals in their field by attending conferences given by specialists, visit workplaces related to their activities while also putting into practice their knowledge of the English language and the specialized terminology within their field.

These professional visits have been carried out for more than a decade by UNAM Chicago, which initially offered them only to medicine and law students. These programs have expanded to include the areas of business, design, architecture, nursing, and now Actuary.

For a week, the actuaries carry out activities such as attending conferences and workshops, some of which are held at the UNAM facilities in the city and others at the University of Chicago, one of the most prestigious in the world. Other activities are organized on the premises of the Society of Actuaries of Chicago.

During her welcome message, Dr. Erika Erdely explained to the students the wide range of activities carried out by UNAM Chicago and thanked the Mexican Actuarial College. A special thanks in particular to the actuary Alberto Ramírez, coordinator of the program, for being "the mastermind” and for leading the initiative with different specialists and interlocutors.

Next summer, Professional Visits will be held for the areas of Law, Design, and Architecture.