UT senior Ashley Burger completed two internships, passed two actuarial science professional exams, and secured her first job before graduation.
The Volunteer culture drew Ashley Burger to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she discovered how to apply her enthusiasm for mathematics in the classroom to a career. In June she’ll become an actuarial analyst in the insurance industry, working in a profession with a high job outlook.
“UT really gives you room to learn and try new experiences. There’s a lot of opportunity to find what you’re good at,” Burger said.
She loved her high school calculus class. Then as a sophomore at UT she took a matrix algebra class with Teaching Assistant Professor Jeremy Siegert in the Department of Mathematics. “He made complex material easy to understand,” Burger said.
Although she thought advanced mathematics was fun to learn and a great brain exercise, she didn’t realize the career options until her academic advisor told her about UT’s new actuarial science program.
“What I liked about actuarial science was that I could use a lot of what I had learned in my major in real-world problem-solving. It involves a lot of finance, a lot of probability,” said Burger, who is graduating with a double major in mathematics with the actuarial science concentration and statistics.
U.S. News and World Report ranked actuary at No. 11 on its overall list of 100 Best Jobs in 2026, placing it even higher among technology and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) jobs.
Classroom to Workplace
Burger started at UT as a chemical engineering major and served as a teaching assistant for an engineering fundamentals course and a biology course, helping students with homework and lab techniques, and answering their questions.
Although she did well in the engineering courses, by the end of her sophomore year Burger discovered she was enjoying the math courses more. After talking with advisors at the university, she switched her major to math with the new actuarial science concentration. In her senior year she changed her statistics minor into a second major, by adding one course to those she already had taken.
“Ashley is a talented and engaged math major, who has also taken the initiative to prepare for her career while still a student,” said Professor Joan Lind, associate head of the Department of Mathematics.
Before starting her junior year at UT, Burger completed a summer internship in the statistics department of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, near her home in Texas.
“I enjoyed the experience,” she said, assessing data quality as she analyzed structural reports from bank holding companies. “It was the first time I got to use some of the skills I learned at UT in a way that had an impact on the company.”
The bank invited her back the next summer for another internship. “It was a good foundation for my career,” she said.
UT coursework began to prepare her for exams needed to be credentialed as an actuary, and she passed the first two during her senior year. Nationally, less than half of the people who took the Financial Math and Probability exams when Burger did earned passing scores.
Business analytics courses with Lecturer Adam Spannbauer also prepared her to answer technical questions during job interviews.
During the spring break before commencement, Burger accepted a position as an entry-level actuarial analyst for State Farm, starting in June.
Volunteer Community
A native of Texas, Burger applied to the university in Knoxville because of a recommendation from a UT alumnus. “I didn’t know anything about this (university). I knew that the people here were passionate, and they really liked the color orange; that’s about it,” she said.
A trip to Tennessee for a campus tour introduced her to the academics and opportunities, as well as the friendly campus and passionate sports fans. A Volunteer Scholarship made UT an affordable choice for an out-of-state student.
“UT is a lot bigger than just the campus itself or just the school,” Burger said. “It’s the city of Knoxville. Everywhere you go, there’s orange, there’s people that are willing to talk to you.”
Even when she drives to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for a hike, she’ll see other Volunteers on the mountain who greet each other. “It’s the culture, and it’s really a family,” Burger said. “I love that it extends beyond just the students at the school; it’s the community as a whole.”
Her extraordinary academic achievement at UT earned Burger the honor of graduating as a Volunteer of Distinction. A member of Pi Mu Epsilon, the national honor society for mathematics, she also received the Actuarial Science Excellence Award at UT.
Burger served as secretary of UT’s new Risk Management Society, which began in early 2026 as a way to connect students with the insurance industry. “We’ve had a few companies come and talk already this semester. I love that it’s starting to grow,” she said, noting that the organization will provide more opportunities for future Volunteers.
by Amy Beth Miller