Inequities in education have existed for many years but have become even more acute during the pandemic and further increased the academic gap for underserved groups.  Furthermore, such groups have historically performed poorly in STEM subjects which has been associated with under-representation in these fields. There is an important role for companies to play in addressing skill deficits and promoting educational and career opportunities.

We developed an Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) framework with a focus on our Community that includes support for education and STEM programs for underserved groups. To this end, we delivered virtual math tutoring and mentoring to students in Title I schools, those with at least 40% of students who come from low-income families, in our local school district. In partnership with Math Motivators, a non-profit volunteer-driven math tutoring program sponsored by the Actuarial Foundation, we launched a pilot program for 19 students in middle school and added a second one with 11 high school students. 22 of our employees participated as tutors on a weekly basis over a nine week period to guide students on solving math problems, instill in them that math can be fun, build their confidence and awareness of math-related careers, and help them prepare for their year-end exams.

Feedback from the students and tutors has indicated that the program was effective, and the school district profiled it on their website, citing its benefits. Additionally, the pilot school has requested a summer program to ensure that learning losses are mitigated when students are out of school, and it is anticipated we will continue to deliver more programs in the fall.