Emily Byrnes ’10 received a 2010 John Culver Wooddy Scholarship from the Actuarial Foundation last fall during her final semester at Illinois State. The scholarships are awarded to only a handful of graduating actuarial students around the globe.

“It’s such an honor to receive this prestigious scholarship. I wouldn’t have received it were it not for the actuarial program here at ISU,” Byrnes said.

Byrnes is the fifth ISU student in the past six years to receive the award. That’s a record that has only been matched by one other university in the world. Past ISU students to earn the award were Carol Sorenson ’05, T.J. Turner ’06, David Prevo ’08, and Thomas Lauren ’09. Each has moved on to a successful career at agencies across the state.

A graduate of the Katie School Leadership Program, Byrnes completed an internship at State Farm Insurance Companies and is continuing her career there as an actuarial analyst trainee.