Mason,22, is in her second year at Victoria University, where she is studying for a Bachelor of Commerce in Actuarial Science. Originally from South Africa, she first arrived in Wellington in July after studying remotely for the past year while awaiting the re-opening of New Zealand's borders.

A role in the actuarial profession has long been on the cards for Mason, who has always had a love for numbers as well as a family history in insurance.

"When you see the world through numbers you can quantify any risk, and that's something I've always used to navigate life. My family back home has a long history in insurance, so I've been exposed to the industry since I was really young. When I put this and my passion for numbers together, the actuarial profession felt like a natural fit for me," Mason says.

Launched in 2015, the scholarship has supported seven recipients to date into careers as actuaries or roles within the wider financial services industry. The scholarship includes $5,000 and a three-month internship over the summer of 2022-2023 at Cigna NZ.

"I'm incredibly grateful to be receiving this valuable boost not only financially towards my studies but also to have the opportunity to apply my learnings in an actual business context," Mason says.

Cigna NZ chief actuary Michael Bartram said “actuaries are in high demand and play a crucial role assessing risks and helping formulate insurance policy for companies such as Cigna NZ. As a lesser-known career option, it's important that we do all we can to encourage our young people to pursue the profession and provide opportunities to get on-the-job experience."