A new scholarship programme partnership between Athene Holding Ltd, Athene Life Re and Bermuda College is the largest of its kind at the Paget institution. The Athene Scholarship will be awarded to 1ten students each academic year and will pay for the cost of each student’s two-year degree programme and required books. Candidates must be pursuing degrees in any of the following: accounting, actuarial science, business, economics, finance, human resources, information technology, insurance & risk management, legal studies, or mathematics. Scholarships will be awarded based on academic merit and financial need, and recipients must demonstrate achievement of the minimum GPA requirement at the end of each semester to continue receiving support. Chip Gillis, executive chairman of Athene Life Re Ltd, said: “Today’s announcement of ten full scholarships for associate degrees in business-related studies supports Athene’s commitment to develop Bermudian talent.“We are pleased with our internship and work study programmes currently in place with Bermuda College and look forward to expanding programming in the coming years.” Dr Phyllis Curtis-Tweed, vice-president of academic and student affairs at Bermuda College, thanked Athene and Mr Gillis, for the “profound investment in Bermuda’s future”. She said: “The scholarship programme will make a significant difference in the lives of the recipients as they pursue higher education. The work study programmes and internships provide experiential learning that best equips students for success in the workplace. This partnership is of great benefit to our community.”The 2019 scholarship recipients, and their areas of study, are: Cairi Albuoy, Associate of Arts (business administration); Jordan DeSilva, Associate of Science (computer information systems); Atiya Furqan, Associate of Science (actuarial science); Ne Quae Jones, Associate of Arts (business administration); Samaria Paynter, Associate of Arts (business administration); Nisha Smith, Associate of Science (actuarial science); Tanzania Thomas, Associate of Arts (business administration); Ken-nie Trott, Associate ofArts (business administration); Skye White, Associate of Arts (business administration); and Stefan Wilson, Associate of Science (actuarial science).Along with the scholarship, Athene said it is working with the college to develop a paid internship programme to help students gain the necessary professional skills to fill the talent gap in the actuarial and financial services industry. Scholarship recipients for the 2019-2020 academic year, and their families, are to be honoured at a reception.