The CAS has been recognized by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) for the successful launch of CAS Student Central in 2014. ASAE’s annual awards competition, the Gold Circle Awards, honors excellence, innovation and achievement in association/nonprofit marketing, membership and communications programs. This year’s competition received 193 submissions in 16 different categories. The CAS earned a Merit Award in the Membership Recruitment Campaign category for its innovative tactics and initiatives to launch its new university student program.
CAS Student Central is a free membership program that offers university students access to the latest news, information and advice as they make the transition from college to credentialed actuary. Launched in January 2014, the multicomponent marketing campaign that garnered the award included a dedicated CAS Student Central website and online community, videos highlighting CAS members in the early stages of their careers, social media pages across LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, and an infographic showcasing the CAS’s credentialing benefits and resources for students.
The CAS also leveraged collaborative partnerships with other organizations that serve university actuarial students, such as Gamma Iota Sigma and the Actuarial Students’ National Association, to help promote and grow CAS Student Central.
The program has experienced enormous success in its first year, gaining over 2,400 student members from over 350 different universities. At the same time, the CAS has enhanced its partnerships with the academic community by introducing CAS Academic Central, a free membership program for professors teaching actuarial science, mathematics, economics, business or related topics. Academic Central includes 280 members at over 175 universities.
CAS Student Central offers numerous benefits to its student members, including resources such as skill-building tips, free webinars on topics designed specifically for the university student audience, and invitations to networking events to help connect students with casualty actuarial professionals. The program exemplifies the CAS’s deep commitment to the next generation of casualty actuaries, helping to guide students through the maze of curricula, rigorous exams, and promising internships that lead, ultimately, to a challenging and rewarding career.
“The success of CAS Student Central surpassed our expectations,” said Melissa Tomita, chair of the CAS University Engagement Committee and senior actuary at Nationwide Insurance Company. “As the program continues to grow, Student Central members will see increasing benefit and value in connecting with the CAS.”
“It is an honor to be recognized by ASAE for the CAS Student Central membership recruitment campaign,” said Mike Boa, chief communications officer for the CAS. “A marketing campaign aimed at university students required us to explore innovative ways to reach this younger demographic. Our consulting firm, The Yu Crew, was instrumental in helping us design and execute a campaign that engaged students and encouraged them to join the program and learn about the CAS. The staff and volunteer members who brought the campaign to life should be justly proud of this recognition.”
ASAE is a membership organization of more than 21,000 association executives and industry partners representing 9,300 organizations. Its members manage leading trade associations, individual membership societies and voluntary organizations across the United States and in nearly 50 countries around the world.
Winners in the Gold Circle Award competition were recognized in June at ASAE’s 2015 Marketing, Membership & Communications Conference in Washington, D.C.
