Its that time of year again summer is drawing to an end, the days are shortening and the subscription-renewal reminders are arriving in our inboxes (you should have received yours on 1 September).
I'm proud to be an actuary, to be a part of the IFoA community and a member of a profession that adds significant value to businesses and society.
As well as being a part of one of the leading professional bodies for actuaries, providing me with a globally recognised qualification, I have enjoyed many other benefits from being a member.
Our support networks are worldwide, so no matter where you're based in the world, there is help at hand. For our students, exam counselling can be arranged face to face in the UK. For those based elsewhere, it can be organised online.
If you have a query relating to an ethical dilemma, the professional support service is at your disposal.
For those interested in policy development or research, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved. Or you can make use of the materials published by the IFoA and our peers through tools such as the British Actuarial Journal, the Longevity Bulletin, the Actuarial Research Centre, the Intergenerational Fairness Bulletin - issue three on health and care is due for release imminently - and The Actuary magazine.
We have a strong and active community, with successful regional member societies - some of which I've had the pleasure of visiting over the past few years - and face-to-face networking opportunities, including the big conferences held each year.
I look forward to seeing many of you at this year's Life Conference.
There are so many opportunities to get involved - whether it is joining your local regional society, or perhaps taking a look at the volunteering vacancies on the IFoA website. I have found volunteering to be one of the most fulfilling aspects of my career so far.
If you're looking for continuing professional development, including professional skills training, the IFoA organises many virtual and face-to-face events, including the upcoming professional skills lectures.
These events include one scheduled for 11 October, in which I will be taking part, entitled: 'Can professional regulation and organisational culture prepare us better for the next financial crisis?' It will be a panel discussion chaired by Benny Higgins FIA, chief executive of Tesco Bank and group strategy director for Tesco plc. The panel will also include Lady Susan Rice CBE, and Daniel Susskind, co-author of The Future of The Professions. For those of you who can't attend this event in person, the event is being livestreamed through our website. You can register to watch at bit.ly/2vXykDS
Marjorie Ngwenya is the president of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries