Before her sudden death on April 9, 2020, UNC Charlotte mathematics alumna Marie Josee Mukamwiza ’05 had created and was raising support for a “Women in Math and Statistics Scholarship” in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
Following her passing, the Actuarial Science Club picked up the funding drive in memory of Mukamwiza through a Crowdfund UNC Charlotte effort. The club is more than halfway to its goal of $25,000 to endow the scholarship in honor of Mukamwiza, and her husband, Fred Hien, has offered a matching gift.
“She was dedicated to helping women in math and statistics succeed. In her honor, we created a crowdfunding project to endow her scholarship that will provide women financial help in their educational goals for years to come,” said Actuarial Club President Russell Mejia.
Last spring semester, $10,000 was successfully raised. Now, the goal is to raise an additional $15,000 to endow the scholarship fund at $25,000. The fund will provide an annual $500 scholarship to a UNC Charlotte junior or senior dedicated to encouraging gender equality in the field of mathematics and statistics.
The Actuarial Science Club is a student organization that creates a space for students interested in pursuing a career in actuarial science. Actuarial science is a field of applied mathematics, requiring mathematical and statistical skills to study and analyze uncertain events in the insurance and financial fields.