Dr. Sean Droms Talks Mathematics and Mentoring

As a citizen of three countries, Dr. Sean Droms can directly relate to the College’s vision of preparing our students to be global and world-ready at graduation. Droms, an assistant professor of mathematics, spent his childhood visiting family in Portugal and Switzerland and having dinner conversations in French with his mom. 

Along with his global experiences, Droms also picked up a love of mathematics from his family—his father was a college math professor. Droms always enjoyed math and arrived at The Valley as his first job out of graduate school. He quickly became intrigued with the College’s renowned Actuarial Science Program, which boasts a nearly 100 percent job offer rate.

“I became interested in actuarial science when I saw how transformative the program is for the students in our department, and I soon knew I wanted to be a part of it,” he illustrates. “Actuarial science appeals to me because it allows me to find real-world settings in which I can use the math I’ve been learning for years.”

According to Droms, the Actuarial Science Program is an appealing and interesting blend of rigorous mathematics, business, finance, and risk management techniques. 

“Our students work hard, and they succeed after graduation because of it. Having a role in launching so many students’ careers is incredibly rewarding,” says Droms. 

In fact, Droms worked with Hannah Pell ’16 on an independent study project involving the Mathematical Sciences and Music departments. Pell went on to receive a Fulbright award to study in Austria for nine months. Droms also helps students discover and apply for internships in their field, which often lead to job offers after graduation.

For students considering a career in the field, Droms advises: “Actuarial science is hard, time-consuming, deeply mathematical, and will demand things of you that you never knew you could give. But the reward in the end is a profession that has high job satisfaction, great work-life balance, recognized value to society, and excellent pay.”

When Droms isn’t teaching students, or studying to pass his own actuarial exams, he enjoys being outdoors—hiking, biking, camping, and caving.