By Helena Bryan

Ironically, high-achieving SFU B.Sc. grad Simon Mak tries not to focus too much on his studies.

“I’m more nervous and on edge if I just study all the time,” he says. “I try to achieve a balance between school and recreation.”

Clearly, for Mak, it’s a winning strategy. He has just completed his degree in statistics and actuarial sciences, earning a Governor General’s Silver Medal for one of the highest grade-point-averages among all SFU undergrads.

Given his quest for balance, it’s no surprise that one of Mak’s fondest memories of his time at SFU is of a 36-hour stretch on a Greyhound bus with three of his classmates.

Of course, the bus trip was a means to a more serious end. The four students were whizzing their way to a three-day national actuarial business-case competition in Winnipeg.

The SFU team members were finalists competing against the University of Waterloo and the University of Manitoba. Mak and his classmates took the title—making the trip back that much more fun.

Looking forward, Mak wants to work toward a master’s in statistics.

“Right now I’m thinking about a career in academia so after the master’s, I’ll go for my PhD, probably somewhere in the States.”

But he wants to keep his options open. That’s why Mak likes statistics.

“It quantifies uncertainty while having applications everywhere,” he says. “The same methodology applies to a lot of other fields of study, including physics and chemistry.”

His advice to students embarking on their university careers? “Maintain balance between your studies and extra curricular activities. And try different things; take courses outside of your major.”

Mak himself did a year in computer sciences and even took two English courses in his final year at SFU, which he says helped with his communications skills.

“The breadth of knowledge never hurts,” he says, “and you never know, you might find something else you like that you hadn’t even thought of.”  

Simon Mak

By Helena Bryan

Word Count: 325

Silver medalist advocates balance, an open mind

Ironically, high-achieving B.Sc. grad Simon Mak tries not to focus too much on his studies.

“I’m more nervous and on edge if I just study all the time,” he says. “I try to achieve a balance between school and recreation.”

Clearly, for Mak, it’s a winning strategy. On scholarship, he just completed his degree in statistics and actuarial sciences—along the way earning a Governor General’s Silver Medal for one of the highest grade-point averages among all SFU undergrads.

Given his quest for balance, it’s no surprise that one of Mak’s fondest memories of his time at SFU is of a 36-hour stretch on a Greyhound bus with three of his classmates.

Of course, the bus trip was a means to a more serious end. The four students were whizzing their way to a three-day national actuarial business-case competition in Winnipeg.

The SFU team were finalists competing against the University of Waterloo and the University of Manitoba. Mak and his classmates took the title—making the trip back that much more fun.

Looking forward, Mak wants to work toward his master’s in statistics.

“Right now I’m thinking about a career in academia so after the master’s, I’ll go for my PhD, probably somewhere in the States.”

But he wants to keep his options open. That’s why Mak likes statistics.

“It quantifies uncertainty while having applications everywhere,” he says. “The same methodology applies to a lot of other fields of study, including physics and chemistry.”

His advice to students embarking on their university careers? “Maintain balance between your studies and extra curricular activities. And try different things; take courses outside of your major.”

Mak himself did a year in computer sciences and even took two English courses in his final year at SFU, which he says helped with his communications skills.

“The breadth of knowledge never hurts,” he says, “and you never know, you might find something else you like that you hadn’t even thought of.”  

Ironically, high-achieving B.Sc. grad Simon Mak tries not to focus too much on his studies.

“I’m more nervous and on edge if I just study all the time,” he says. “I try to achieve a balance between school and recreation.”

Clearly, for Mak, it’s a winning strategy. On scholarship, he just completed his degree in statistics and actuarial sciences—along the way earning a Governor General’s Silver Medal for one of the highest grade-point averages among all SFU undergrads.

Given his quest for balance, it’s no surprise that one of Mak’s fondest memories of his time at SFU is of a 36-hour stretch on a Greyhound bus with three of his classmates.

Of course, the bus trip was a means to a more serious end. The four students were whizzing their way to a three-day national actuarial business-case competition in Winnipeg.

The SFU team were finalists competing against the University of Waterloo and the University of Manitoba. Mak and his classmates took the title—making the trip back that much more fun.

Looking forward, Mak wants to work toward his master’s in statistics.

“Right now I’m thinking about a career in academia so after the master’s, I’ll go for my PhD, probably somewhere in the States.”

But he wants to keep his options open. That’s why Mak likes statistics.

“It quantifies uncertainty while having applications everywhere,” he says. “The same methodology applies to a lot of other fields of study, including physics and chemistry.”

His advice to students embarking on their university careers? “Maintain balance between your studies and extra curricular activities. And try different things; take courses outside of your major.”

Mak himself did a year in computer sciences and even took two English courses in his final year at SFU, which he says helped with his communications skills.

“The breadth of knowledge never hurts,” he says, “and you never know, you might find something else you like that you hadn’t even thought of.”  

Ironically, high-achieving B.Sc. grad Simon Mak tries not to focus too much on his studies.

“I’m more nervous and on edge if I just study all the time,” he says. “I try to achieve a balance between school and recreation.”

Clearly, for Mak, it’s a winning strategy. On scholarship, he just completed his degree in statistics and actuarial sciences—along the way earning a Governor General’s Silver Medal for one of the highest grade-point averages among all SFU undergrads.

Given his quest for balance, it’s no surprise that one of Mak’s fondest memories of his time at SFU is of a 36-hour stretch on a Greyhound bus with three of his classmates.

Of course, the bus trip was a means to a more serious end. The four students were whizzing their way to a three-day national actuarial business-case competition in Winnipeg.

The SFU team were finalists competing against the University of Waterloo and the University of Manitoba. Mak and his classmates took the title—making the trip back that much more fun.

Looking forward, Mak wants to work toward his master’s in statistics.

“Right now I’m thinking about a career in academia so after the master’s, I’ll go for my PhD, probably somewhere in the States.”

But he wants to keep his options open. That’s why Mak likes statistics.

“It quantifies uncertainty while having applications everywhere,” he says. “The same methodology applies to a lot of other fields of study, including physics and chemistry.”

His advice to students embarking on their university careers? “Maintain balance between your studies and extra curricular activities. And try different things; take courses outside of your major.”

Mak himself did a year in computer sciences and even took two English courses in his final year at SFU, which he says helped with his communications skills.

“The breadth of knowledge never hurts,” he says, “and you never know, you might find something else you like that you hadn’t even thought of.”  

Ironically, high-achieving B.Sc. grad Simon Mak tries not to focus too much on his studies.

“I’m more nervous and on edge if I just study all the time,” he says. “I try to achieve a balance between school and recreation.”

Clearly, for Mak, it’s a winning strategy. On scholarship, he just completed his degree in statistics and actuarial sciences—along the way earning a Governor General’s Silver Medal for one of the highest grade-point averages among all SFU undergrads.

Given his quest for balance, it’s no surprise that one of Mak’s fondest memories of his time at SFU is of a 36-hour stretch on a Greyhound bus with three of his classmates.

Of course, the bus trip was a means to a more serious end. The four students were whizzing their way to a three-day national actuarial business-case competition in Winnipeg.

The SFU team were finalists competing against the University of Waterloo and the University of Manitoba. Mak and his classmates took the title—making the trip back that much more fun.

Looking forward, Mak wants to work toward his master’s in statistics.

“Right now I’m thinking about a career in academia so after the master’s, I’ll go for my PhD, probably somewhere in the States.”

But he wants to keep his options open. That’s why Mak likes statistics.

“It quantifies uncertainty while having applications everywhere,” he says. “The same methodology applies to a lot of other fields of study, including physics and chemistry.”

His advice to students embarking on their university careers? “Maintain balance between your studies and extra curricular activities. And try different things; take courses outside of your major.”

Mak himself did a year in computer sciences and even took two English courses in his final year at SFU, which he says helped with his communications skills.

“The breadth of knowledge never hurts,” he says, “and you never know, you might find something else you like that you hadn’t even thought of.”