Ashley Morris is an alumni of Bellefonte High School. She graduated in 2015, and then moved on to go to college at Penn State while also studying abroad, later attending Schreyer Honors College. She now lives in Washington D.C. and works as an actuary.  

Ashley went to college to pursue Acturial Mathematics after graduation, and studied hard to graduate with honors. 

“I continued my education at Penn State and the Schreyer Honors College. In December 2019, I earned an undergraduate degree with honors in Actuarial Mathematics,” Ashley said. 

While, she is very serious about education and work, Ashley still makes the most of her time outside of the classroom. 

“During my time at Penn State, I also studied abroad in France, Morocco, and Greece. Outside of the classroom, I was involved with the IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON), served as an economics teaching assistant, and conducted independent research on the feasibility of universal healthcare,” Ashley said. 

Even out of college, she likes to go on new adventures and see what life is like outside around her. 

“I finished my academic pursuits at Penn State and then moved to Washington D.C., where I am currently based. In my spare time, I enjoy traveling to new places and getting outdoors,” Ashley said. 

After studying very hard and graduating college, she landed a job as a healthcare professional at Evolent Health, and with this, helps work out the mathematics to assist people with financial risks they may have with healthcare.

“My company is working to transform how healthcare is delivered in this country by partnering with payers and providers to reduce the total cost of healthcare and simultaneously improve clinical quality.  As a health actuary, I help to analyze financial risk for our clients via mathematical modeling and lots of Excel spreadsheets,” Ashley said. 

Advice Ashley has for the students here at Bellefonte is that high school is just a stop in life on the way to better things you will pursue. 

“Sometimes it can be hard to see the forest through the trees, but high school is not the be all end all. Whether you love your time at BAHS or hate it, high school is just a stepping stone to bigger and better opportunities. A little bit of perspective can go a long way. Also be nice to your teachers, they don’t get as much credit as they deserve,” she said. 

Ashley Morris shows that you can work hard and still have fun. You can travel and enjoy life, while also focusing on your studies. And in the end, everything you have done in life will pay off, patience is key, and respect can get you a long way, especially to past and future educators.