This year’s KPMG Scholarship has been awarded to Brianna Buchanan, a 2011 graduate of Bermuda Institute who is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, with a concentration in Finance, at the University of Alabama. Ms Buchanan also plans to obtain her Master’s Degree in Accounting.

The scholarship is awarded by the managing directors of KPMG in Bermuda and is given to a Bermudian student committed to a career as a Chartered Professional Accountant or Certified Public Accountant. It is valued at $20,000 per annum for three years.

In a statement, KPMG said: “The KPMG Scholarship provides financial assistance to students towards the completion of an undergraduate degree and is much more than just a number, it is an invitation to a career and a future full of possibilities.

“Recipients are placed in the firm’s mentor-driven graduate programme and ensured that every professional step taken is well-planned, supported and coupled with a personalised development plan tailored to meet the individual needs of each graduate.”

Steve Woodward, managing director and head of the Scholarship Committee, KPMG in Bermuda, said: “Brianna has proven herself as an excellent candidate across all facets of our selection criteria and a standout among the other very talented applicants.”

Ms Buchanan said: “I can’t believe it! I am thrilled to have been chosen as the KPMG 2014 scholarship recipient. Words cannot express my gratitude and thanks to KPMG for allowing me the opportunity to further my education and for the opportunity to have a career with KPMG. This scholarship will allow me to focus on obtaining my undergraduate degree as well as obtaining my Certified Public Accountant designation.

“I will also be afforded ongoing internship experiences which will enhance my academic learning. Interning at KPMG this summer allowed me to experience the working and learning environment first hand. I am positive that this is the firm I want to work for to launch my career.”