Mr. James Matthew (Matt) Bonny graduated from Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) in December 2015 with a B.S. in mathematics and a minor in statistics. He is also a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA) which requires passing a series of examinations and modules.
When asked about why he chose EKU for his college education, Mr Bonny explained, “As an eastern Kentucky kid who originally wanted to be a teacher, it was the logical choice. I grew up about 15 minutes away and was very familiar with the school. I had always heard the teaching program was very good and I would agree! I just ended up going a different route at the end.”
Initially Mr. Bonny started out as a mathematics teaching major for two reasons. The first being that he enjoyed it and the second being that it was an in-demand teaching specialty. However, “I ended up a straight math major because it was the most common background for actuaries, a career for which I had developed interest,” he remarked.
As a student at EKU Mr. Bonny received the Robert Nelson Memorial Scholarship that recognizes a senior math student for excellence in mathematics. “It was really heartwarming to know that a professor appreciated my work in such a difficult field of study,” he reminisced and added, “I was also in the Kentucky National Guard during my time at EKU and so my tuition was fully covered by the state.”
When asked about his fondest memories of EKU Mr. Bonny responded, “I sometimes joke that I majored in math and minored in statistics and pick-up basketball. I played in as many EKU intramurals and sports leagues that I could as well as being a member of the club soccer team. Rarely a day went by that I wasn’t at the rec center. I still play a lot of sports now that I’m older but definitely not as often as I could back in those days. Additionally, most of my high school friends also went to school at EKU so in general it was just a fun time in all our lives before we spread out and started our careers.”
Mr. Bonny offered the following advice to current students aspiring to major in mathematics, “Take the time to study sufficiently and don’t be afraid to ask the professors a lot of questions. Math is hard and it takes work to be good at it. I rarely grasped concepts on the first pass and would have to spend a lot of time working through examples and going over proofs to understand what exactly was going on. The quote ‘It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer’ has been attributed to Einstein and I think it’s relevant to all STEM majors.”
Since graduating, Mr. Bonny remains engaged with EKU by sponsoring actuary exams fees for our students and serving on the Data Science Advisory Council of the Department of Mathematics & Statistics.
Currently Mr. Bonny works for Humana as a Lead Actuary, analyzing the financial costs of risk and uncertainty. His responsibilities include estimating how much money should be set aside to pay for incurred claims of which they are currently unaware. Besides, he has held the positions of Senior Actuarial Analyst and Associate Actuary for the same company. He also previously worked at Mercer and UnitedHealth Group performing other actuarial roles such as plan pricing, trend setting, and pension analysis.
Mr. Bonny was born in Irvine, Estill County, Kentucky. He currently lives in Charlottesville, Virginia, with his wife, Julia, and two cats Stormy and Buddy. They find the location one of the most beautiful areas in the country and they try to spend as much time outdoors as they can, especially since they are adjacent to Shenandoah National Park. Nonetheless, they still have strong ties to EKU and its surroundings, as he explained. “Both of my parents are EKU alumni and are retired teachers from the Estill County School District. My brother resides in Richmond, Kentucky, with his wife (EKU Grad) and daughter. All my uncles and aunts are also EKU graduates…that’s a lot of maroon in the family!”
With all of his ties to EKU, it is not surprising that Mr. Bonny is committed to helping other EKU alumni. “I love helping future fellow alumni get started with an actuarial career and will most certainly respond to any messages on my LinkedIn regarding the profession.”
“I love helping future fellow alumni get started with an actuarial career and will most certainly respond to any messages on my LinkedIn regarding the profession,” – James Matthew Bonny
Interested in a degree from EKU?
Earn your undergraduate, graduate or doctoral degree from a university that has been an education leader for more than 100 years. Choose from a variety of in-demand and nationally recognized academic programs, offered both online and on-campus.
Whether you want to start, finish or advance your education, EKU has a program that can fit your schedule and your needs. Complete the form to learn more about how EKU can help advance your career.
Eastern Kentucky University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, educational specialist, and doctorate degrees.