Some of Bermuda’s top international business students received support for their studies this weekend at the Association of Bermuda International Companies (ABIC) Education Awards’ annual luncheon.The ceremony, which was held on Sunday at the Harbourfront Restaurant, saw a total of 16 students win scholarships to pursue business-related university undergraduate degrees in the US, Canada and the UK.“ABIC is very pleased to be able to offer scholarships to those wishing to pursue undergraduate or graduate studies,” said ABIC Education Awards Chairman Roy Fellowes. “This year is our 35th Anniversary celebrating awards to more than 500 students. Many of Award recipients are now in leadership positions in International Business and the infrastructure that supports it.”Since 1977, ABIC has helped several high-profile businessmen pay for university — including Rees Fletcher, CEO of Ace Bermuda, Patrick Tannock, President of XL Insurance (Bermuda) and Andrew Parsons, President of Belco. They are among the more than 500 students that have received funding since the programme started with more than $5 million given out in the last decade alone.The guest speaker at this year’s event was Mesheiah Crockwell, the head of human resources at the BMA. As a previous ABIC alumnus, she encouraged the award recipients to challenge themselves and to embrace the opportunity that they have been afforded by ABIC.“Franklin D Roosevelt once said, ‘The only limit to our realisation of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.’ When we consider that many of the ABIC Alumni who now hold impressive positions in our local community once sat where you sit today, this statement couldn’t be truer.”The ABIC Education Awards programme is one of the largest and most broadly supported scholarship programmes in Bermuda, providing more than $500,000 per year to Bermudian students who are pursuing higher education at accredited four-year, degree-granting colleges and universities in studies connected primarily to international business.The scholarship awards are based on a combination of the applicant’s financial need and academic ability. Currently, the undergraduate award to each recipient is $15,000 per year for a two-year period.ABIC, the voice of International Business, represents more than 110 exempted companies registered in Bermuda.