New Actuarial Director
From the January 2011 issue of Our Moment, the UConn Foundation's e-newsletter.
James Trimble ’78 says that he always knew that he liked math, but had “no clue” what he was going to do with his mathematics degree after graduation.
That is, until 1976, when he saw the signs haphazardly hung up in the halls of the math building, asking “Do you like math? Do you want to make lots of money?” and directing students to a classroom where legendary UConn math professor Charles Vinsonhaler was trying to drum up interest in a new actuarial science program. That vision paid off: UConn’s program has grown to become one of the nation’s best in preparing graduates for careers in the financial services sector. In fact, UConn is recognized by the Society of Actuaries as a Center of Actuarial Excellence, one of only 21 colleges and universities in all of North America to earn that distinction.
More than 30 years later, after his own long career culminating as chief actuary for The Hartford Life Insurance Companies, Trimble has now assumed Vinsonhaler’s role as director of UConn’s actuarial science program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
“I didn’t even know what an actuary was when I first went to UConn,” Trimble recounts. “Vinsonhaler and the other professors gave me what I needed for a very successful career. So when he retired and they established a fund in his name, it was a no-brainer to contribute to that. This is the guy who introduced me to my career.”
He also feels passionately about the Honors Program and what it offered him as a student.
“I felt the Program was terrific when I went here, and I think it is even better now. Many private schools were cost-prohibitive for me at the time, but I had tremendous professors in the Honors Program, and I received a high quality education that prepared me to succeed,” he says.
While the decision to give back was initially a way of showing appreciation for his education, Trimble says that today it is because he can see how the money is directly helping students. From his perspective as a new faculty member and as the program head, Trimble clearly recognizes the benefits of private support for the university.
“Once you see how the donated funds are being used, for SURF (summer undergraduate research funds) projects, for example, you just want to keep giving,” he says. “It’s amazing what a UConn undergraduate can do with that support. And it’s not a giant contribution that creates this opportunity for them, that sparks their fire, so I’ve continued to give back. I can see how that money is being used so well.”
“In the actuarial science program, for relatively small dollars, I can take a class of 60 students, hire an adjunct professor, and split that into two classes of 30. That increased attention to the student better prepares them for their exams and their careers. So there’s a perfect example of what private support does and the impact it has for us in the face of budget cuts.”
Trimble believes that faculty-staff giving is particularly meaningful for the University.
“From the faculty perspective, I believe the primary way to show that you believe in what you are doing is by giving your time to your students.” he says. “Faculty and staff are at UConn because they care about their students. If you are a faculty member and you have the resources to supplement that with a monetary gift, it makes perfect sense to give back. That gift will help sustain the quality of education at UConn and even help improve it despite these difficult economic times.”
For his own giving, his vision is that his philanthropic investment in the University pays the same dividends that Vinsonhaler’s teaching provided.
“I hope my support helps students do something interesting during the summer in fields that they are considering, and helps them find their interests and passions. When someone can find the right career for them, and go to work where their passion lies, that makes all the difference. Seeing how my contributions help, that is money well spent.”
To support UConn's actuarial science program or the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, please contact the Foundation's development staff for more information.
