"network'' before heading off to universities and colleges abroad. The lunches were started by the Bermuda Foundation for Insurance Studies scholarship students and now include students who are part of the BFIS mentor programme.

"This student initiated support group is an excllent idea and is very much in line with the way the foundation creates other on-going relationships such as those between its contributing members and students through the mentor programme,'' said BFIS chairman Brian Hall.

BFIS' goal is is to ensure over time Bermuda's insurance companies have a pool of well-educated and prepared Bermudian staff to draw from.

Organiser Gino Smith, entering his fourth year at The College of Insurance in New York said, "This is epsecially helpful to students leaving Bermuda for college overseas for the first time.'' Making contacts: Attending the BFIS networking lunch last week were students (from left): Gino Smith, Nicole Durrant, Fretina Robinson, Jaquita Ingham, Brandi Harford, Shanna Tyrrell, Terjuan Lister, Angelika Rohlmann, Judy Dill, Deanna DeShields and Anastasia Slater.