All in the family

Ever since being introduced to the field of actuarial science, Laura Claus ’08 knew she wanted to make it her career. Her high school calculus teacher exposed her to the discipline, whetting her appetite for a college degree by introducing her to a professional actuary. 

Rider stood out to Claus among schools with similar programs because, she says, its professors were dedicated to developing the curriculum and preparing students for exams and careers in the field. She also liked the fact that Rider was a small school because it allowed for an intimate learning environment and more opportunities to take leadership positions in clubs and organizations. 

Little did she realize that enrolling at Rider was a family tradition. Her grandmother Dorothy Schmidt Claus took bookkeeping classes at Rider when it was still located in Trenton. Her aunt Nancy Claus ’73 graduated from Rider after it moved to Lawrenceville. Now, another aunt, Amy Loux ’14, and cousin, Kim Loux MBA ’14, have followed in Claus’ footsteps. 

“I have been lucky to have so many strong female role models in my family to look up to, and it was nice to learn that we have a connection through Rider as well,” Claus says

Having earned a bachelor’s in actuarial science, she has since completed the requirements for the Associate of the Society of Actuaries (ASA) designation. She’s currently pursuing the Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA) designation while working with Prudential in its Actuarial Leadership Development Program (ALDP). 

In the ALDP, Claus rotates into different assignments each year across multiple divisions within the company. Although most positions are in New Jersey and Connecticut, she has had the opportunity this year to work at a Prudential office in Milan, Italy, where she worked on a wide variety of actuarial projects, including meeting U.S. reporting and regulatory requirements for the Italian operation.

While living abroad, Claus has had many memorable experiences. During the nine months that she’s spent on her current work assignment in Italy, she has traveled to 15 countries. “I spend most weekends and holidays exploring a new city in a new country,” she says. “I have gotten to see the Colosseum, ancient Greece and Stonehenge, and I’ve experienced Oktoberfest in Munich, Holland in the spring and the beauty of Scandinavia in winter." 

With all of the cultural experiences that Claus has been able to have, her hope is to be able to bring back some of the Italian spirit when she comes back to the U.S. “The people, culture and customs are so different than the U.S.,” she says. She notes the greater emphasis in Italy on the importance of relationships between family, friends and colleagues. “The pace is slower and the people appreciate spending time together and embracing ‘il dolce far niente’ (the sweetness of doing nothing)."

Rider continues to be a part of Claus’ life through Delta Sigma Pi, a professional business fraternity that still operates on campus. “I met many of my closest friends through Delta Sigma Pi,” she says, adding that she believes her experience at Rider allowed her to build a foundation of leadership experience that helped her get the job she wanted and that she continues to develop today in the workplace.

Amy Loux ’14, Claus' aunt and an accounting specialist at Rider, says that “all of the aunts live vicariously through Laura," keeping up with her travels in Europe by looking at her photos on Instagram. “Her grandmother" — who was also an avid traveler — “would be so proud of her.”