Candidate Campaigns

We highly encourage all candidates to email your campaign ideas and self-introductions to Sarah Bloemer (sbloemer@wisc.edu) to post on the Actuarial Club’s Website before April 28th. Click here and navigate to the Website Campaigns section to find a detailed list of what to include in your email.

Aidan Bandte

Hi everyone! My name is Aidan Bandte, and I’m running for President of the Actuarial Club.

Over the past three years, I’ve loved being actively involved in leading and organizing our club from behind the scenes. During my first two years, I had the chance to learn and develop under two strong VPs on the engagement committee. Along the way, I’ve also had a blast getting to know many of you and building strong connections that have made this club a meaningful part of my college experience.

This year, I’ve enjoyed stepping into the VP role and leading the engagement committee. As a VP, I worked to ensure our social events appealed to a wide range of interests, offering a unique variety that helped boost turnout and create more opportunities for people to get involved. I also built out our intramural process to make it easier for members to form teams and connect through the fun of competing together.

Working alongside officers across all parts of the club has given me a clear understanding of how each role functions and how everything fits together behind the scenes. Altogether, I believe my experiences have prepared me to make the jump to President next year!

As President, I want to tap into the amazing sense of community we’ve built in the lounge (RIP) and during our many events, and make sure it carries over into our classes and shared exam struggles. With our officer team, I’ll work to keep strengthening our unique balance of connecting with employers, giving back to the community, and having a good time.

Thanks for your support and consideration :)

AC Zylka

Hello! My name is AC Zylka and I’m running for President of the Actuarial Club.

Throughout my time in this club, I’ve come to realize just how much it has to offer. From participating in every intramural I can, to attending countless employer presentations, I’ve learned so much about all of the members of our club, including myself. I’ve spent hours in the ‘Actuarial Lounge’ studying with you, laughing with you, and — of course — playing games with you. This community has become incredibly important to me, and it’s pushed me to get more involved and give back in every way I can. Whether it’s helping to plan events, welcoming new members, or simply being a reliable presence in the lounge, I’ve truly enjoyed being part of what makes this club feel like home.

Last year, I was fortunate enough to serve on the volunteering committee, where I got a firsthand look at what goes into planning events and saw how the VP of Finance supports the club behind the scenes.My time on the committee, along with my growing passion to support the club inspired me to run for the position. Serving as VP of Finance this past year has given me the chance to collaborate closely with the other VPs, whether in officer meetings or through one-on-one conversations, and really understand what it takes to manage different parts of the club. With my diverse experiences, I am more than prepared to lead this club as your president.

As president I’ll focus on strengthening our connections with other clubs such as RMIS, which shares our industry and interests. I’ll stay focused on maintaining the amazing culture of community, friendship, and work ethic that embodies our Actuarial Club. With the support of our club members and the amazing VPs yet to be elected, we will introduce new, engaging events and continue the unmatched energy that makes our club so special.

Thank you for your time, and I will see you in the lounge!

Clarence Ma

Hi everyone! My name is Clarence Ma and I’m running for the Vice President of Finance of the Actuarial Club. I’m currently a freshman majoring in Finance, Investment and Banking, but I also want to declare a major in Actuarial Science next year.

I just joined the club this year, but I already have had a lot of good memories here. I love engaging with the weekly common thread gathering, as I’m impressed by how our current VPs can think of such unique topics for every event. I also enjoyed the fun volunteering activities we have here. Events like the “Letters for Love” were really fun for me not just for my personal interest in visual art, but also because they made me feel the positive emotional value we were creating for others.

I was on the finance team for the students’ government in high school for two years. I’ve had a lot of experience making budgets, negotiating with school leaders, and creating financial reports. There were a lot of challenges in organizing events in a small private school, since we had a limited number of students to attend and still had to manage to break even. Still, I always prioritized our students’ experience and made sure to consider different groups of people’s needs. I’m proud to say that I made the budget for our most costly and successful Halloween party, while still managed to secure a positive net income for the students’ government!

As VP of Finance, the first thing I will do is to set up new scholarships for our club members. My plan is to provide a scholarship of 300 for every member who gets an internship, to cover their travelling fees. Also, I want to create a more customized membership system. While the full membership remains $30, with all scholarship privileges included, another option of $15 partial membership will also be offered, for those who want to attend club events but do not take exams. To finance this project, I will utilize the financial talents of our members to make more profitable investments, as well as collaborate with other clubs to hold fund raiser events open to the whole campus. I promise we will all have a year of fun and financial well-being.

Thank you so much for your time!
Fun fact: I’m a practice of modern origami for 8 years :)

Aidan Zilge

Hello! My name is Aidan Zilge, and I am running for Vice President of Communications of the Actuarial Club. I am currently a freshman studying Actuarial Science and Risk Management & Insurance.

The actuarial club has become nothing short of home for me. Although I have only been on campus for two semesters, my involvement on the social media committee of the club and continuous participation in our events has not only taught me significant lessons in life and leadership (my favorite event), but it has also created amazing memories I hold very close. From watching Nate sprint to the bookstore before a 303 quiz, to a walk-off turkey at bowling, to learning sheepshead with AC and Chase, to laughing and sharing during our lunch discussions, it has been incredibly rewarding to be a part of this club both professionally and personally.

As previously mentioned, I was fortunate to be selected as a member of Ethan’s committee, the Social Media committee. My responsibilities consisted of writing the blurbs for our club LinkedIn page, primarily featuring our amazing employer presentations. This position required me to stay organized, attentive, and keep an incredible calendar of all of our events (thank you Sarah for your inspiration). Additionally, just this past semester I was able to gain some newsletter and website insight as a communications committee member of RMIS. I was able to understand the importance of creativity in newsletters and how I can hone my overall communication skills. As VP of Communications, I intend to bring my proficiencies from these valuable experiences and strengthen our amazing community by implementing a similar idea I really enjoyed from RMIS newsletters: a member spotlight. For our newsletters, I want to put a section on the bottom that highlights our talented members, their accomplishments, and anything they would be happy to share.

Thank you for reading and considering me for the role of Vice President of Communications!

Stephanie Hayd

My name is Stephanie Hayd, and I am excited to run for Vice President of Finance and Volunteering!

This year, I have had the privilege of serving as the Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. This role has given me a deeper understanding of how the Actuarial Club operates and reinforced my passion for improving the community around us—whether by hosting discussions on DEI topics or, next year, organizing impactful volunteer events.

With experience as the Treasurer of my high school’s National Honor Society and as a former bank teller, I have developed a strong attention to detail in managing funds. As VP of Finance, I will ensure that budgets are allocated appropriately to each committee, allowing the club to function smoothly and ensuring all initiatives have the financial resources needed to succeed. I will manage the club’s finances with precision, transparency, and timeliness. Thanks to support from the Career Development Fund, we’ve been able to offset some of the costs of employer presentations, and I anticipate that we will not need to raise dues. I also plan to explore additional fundraising opportunities, such as a club merch drop, to generate extra funds that can go toward supporting any new initiatives the club takes on.

Beyond financial management, I am deeply committed to community engagement. Volunteering has been a passion of mine since elementary school, and I am eager to expand the club’s outreach efforts. As VP of Finance and Volunteering, I hope to host more events in Grainger to make participation more convenient for members. I also plan to provide snacks at events to create a welcoming and enjoyable atmosphere. I understand that volunteering can sometimes feel like just another task, but my goal is to make our events as fun and social as possible while still making a meaningful impact. Whether through supply drives or hands-on service projects with local organizations, I will work to create opportunities that not only benefit the community but also strengthen the bonds among our members. Volunteerism is essential to being an engaged member of the greater Madison community, and I look forward to building lasting connections with nonprofits throughout the area.

I would be honored to serve as your Vice President of Finance and Volunteering and would greatly appreciate your support!

Lincoln Sonntag

Hi everyone! I’m Lincoln Sonntag, and I’m running for Vice President of Social Media and Marketing for the Actuarial Club.

This club has been a meaningful part of my college experience, and I’d be excited for the opportunity to represent and grow our community online helping more students discover everything we have to offer. Currently, I serve on the social media committee managing our TikTok page, and through that, I’ve seen the potential of a strong online presence to reflect the energy, achievements, and personality of our members while reaching people who might not yet know what actuarial science or our club is all about.

As VP, I’d focus on continuing and building a strong and consistent presence across LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok—each with its own style. I’d keep our LinkedIn professional and polished, highlighting employer events and club updates. Meanwhile, I’d continue to keep our TikTok fun and engaging, showing off the personality of the club while starting to spotlight the incredible things our members do—whether it’s the number of companies who come to recruit us or the unique opportunities and resources we offer. I’d also prioritize increasing awareness of the platforms we already have—especially our alumni page, which has huge potential as a tool for networking, learning, and career exploration.

With the lounge space going away next year, I believe social media can help fill that gap by keeping our community connected, sharing resources, and maintaining the fun, supportive vibe we’ve built together. I plan on making Instagram and TikTok stories a very active part of these updates and channels of communication.

I’m committed to being organized, reliable, and collaborative—whether it’s leading a committee or supporting other officers to amplify their events and ideas. Thanks for your time and consideration! I’d be honored to help strengthen the club’s presence and community in this role.

Audrey Kaiser

My name is Audrey Kaiser, and I’m excited to be running for Vice President of Communications for next year. I’m currently a sophomore majoring in Actuarial Science and Risk Management & Insurance.

The Actuarial Club has truly become like a second family to me. This year, I’ve become even more involved and had the chance to connect with so many new members. I’m excited to continue my involvement and building even more friendships within the club.

Last semester I had the opportunity of serving as a class representative. That role gave me a behind-the-scenes look at how the officers and their committees work together to make each semester a success. It also laid a great foundation for my involvement in the club, and I’m excited about the possibility of taking it to the next level.

In addition to my involvement with the club, I’ve developed strong communication skills through my job, where I’ve learned the importance of professional email etiquette and effective communication techniques. Whether it's crafting clear and concise messages or anticipating future questions to make communications more efficient these experiences have helped me become a confident communicator—something I’d bring to the VP of Communications role.

If elected as VP of Communications, I plan to keep our members connected and informed about the current events surrounding the fast-changing world of insurance and actuarial science. As future actuaries, staying updated on industry trends isn’t just important, it’s essential.

Thanks so much for reading, and I hope to see you at elections!