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School of hard knocks
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June 3, 2002
Some people need a gentle nudge to steer them down the right career path. But for Anthony Brough, who graduates from SFU this June with a bachelor of science degree, it took a good smack in the head.
In May 1999, Brough was a third-year kinesiology major driving home from school when he slammed into a construction divider, landing in hospital for a week with a concussion, a broken ankle and internal bleeding. "I had to take a year off from school," he recalls, "and it forced me to rethink my career plans."
Brough began first year in 1994 as a mathematics wizard, garnering two entrance scholarships after graduating from Terry Fox high school in Port Coquitlam. But a detour into kinesiology led him away from his math talents and he became increasingly uneasy about the choice, despite several rewarding co-op terms.
The accident, says the Victoria native, was like a wake-up call: "I realized that math and dealing with people were my real strengths. And an advisor in first year had suggested that I could combine both with a career in actuarial science."
Abandoning his previous major, he switched to actuarial science during the fall 2000 semester and "everything just clicked." His marks zoomed from Bs to straight As as he completed the required course work in four semesters.
Next month, Brough starts work in Toronto with actuarial consulting firm Towers Perrin, using insurance and financial data to help predict future employee-benefits needs for its corporate clients. His wife Mandy, a fellow SFU graduate, will be working for Canada Customs at Pearson International airport.
"I’ve learned to enjoy the ride," says Brough, "and not be afraid to choose a new road if I don’t like the one I’m on."
—30—
(digital photo available)
CONTACT
Marianne Meadahl, Julie Ovenell-Carter, Media & PR 604.291.4323
In May 1999, Brough was a third-year kinesiology major driving home from school when he slammed into a construction divider, landing in hospital for a week with a concussion, a broken ankle and internal bleeding. "I had to take a year off from school," he recalls, "and it forced me to rethink my career plans."
Brough began first year in 1994 as a mathematics wizard, garnering two entrance scholarships after graduating from Terry Fox high school in Port Coquitlam. But a detour into kinesiology led him away from his math talents and he became increasingly uneasy about the choice, despite several rewarding co-op terms.
The accident, says the Victoria native, was like a wake-up call: "I realized that math and dealing with people were my real strengths. And an advisor in first year had suggested that I could combine both with a career in actuarial science."
Abandoning his previous major, he switched to actuarial science during the fall 2000 semester and "everything just clicked." His marks zoomed from Bs to straight As as he completed the required course work in four semesters.
Next month, Brough starts work in Toronto with actuarial consulting firm Towers Perrin, using insurance and financial data to help predict future employee-benefits needs for its corporate clients. His wife Mandy, a fellow SFU graduate, will be working for Canada Customs at Pearson International airport.
"I’ve learned to enjoy the ride," says Brough, "and not be afraid to choose a new road if I don’t like the one I’m on."
—30—
(digital photo available)
CONTACT
Marianne Meadahl, Julie Ovenell-Carter, Media & PR 604.291.4323