Eight more students became Bermuda Foundation For Insurance Studies (BFIS) scholars as the organisation marked its 15th anniversary.The eight joined the 101 students and alumni, who have previously received educational funding from the Foundation.In congratulating the scholarship recipients, Meredith Head, chairman of the BFIS Scholarship Committee, said that the Committee was very delighted to be in a position to offer educational funding to students of such outstanding quality.She further noted that this year, for the first time, all applications had been received online through bermudascholarships.com and this had worked very efficiently.At the Awards Presentation Reception held at XL House, BFIS chairman Michael Fisher said: “The Foundation was created with the sole purpose of providing financial support and guidance for Bermudian students, so that they might have the opportunity to obtain the appropriate education and training in order to pursue an insurance-related career.“This is achieved through annually awarding scholarships to outstanding students pursuing studies relevant to the insurance industry, either at the Bermuda College, or at universities abroad; a mentoring programme for insurance career-focused students, or young insurance professionals; summer intern insurance programmes in Bermuda, London and Chicago; career counselling; and insurance career presentations to all Bermuda’s high-school students.“The Bermuda Foundation for Insurance Studies was established, and capitalised, in 1996 by a small group of senior executives working in the Bermuda insurance industry. Since 1996, BFIS has awarded $3.85 million in scholarships to 109 students Today the BFIS operations continue to be funded through the original sponsors’ donations, and those of an ever-increasing number of companies, and individuals, with an affiliation to the insurance sector.”To date, 78 BFIS scholars have graduated and are now working in the insurance sector, the majority in Bermuda, but a number have accepted the opportunity to work overseas in New York, Halifax, Virginia, London, Sao Paulo and Singapore, in roles including underwriters, brokers, actuaries, claims analysts, catastrophe modellers, risk analysts, economists, accountants and investment analysts.