Validus's 2009 scholarship winners are a shining example to young Bermudians of what can be achieved if you apply yourself and strive for success.

Marcus Wade was the recipient of this year's Association of Bermuda International Companies (ABIC) award, while Carlie Peniston won the Bermuda Foundation for Insurance Studies scholarship.

They were joined yesterday by Validus' Jerome Dill, executive vice-president and general counsel, and Jesse DeCouto, mentor and vice-president specialty underwriter, to celebrate their success, having completed a summer working in industry.

"We are pleased to be able to support promising young Bermudians and this is a good opportunity for us to do that," said Mr. Dill.

"I think we do what we can in the community, by way of making contributions in the field and this is one such opportunity.

"It also gives us an opportunity to meet with the recipients and we can assess them and they can asses us, and if we get lucky we might end up having a long-term working relationship with them."

Mr. Wade, who is studying Political Science at the University of Western Ontario in Canada and expects to graduate next summer, said he heard about the ABIC scholarship through his mother, who went to university with Mr. Dill, applied for programme and was interviewed, before being accepted onto the scheme.

He said the biggest benefit of the scholarship was the provision of funding to help him get through university and improve his education and knowledge.

During his scholarship, Mr. Wade has been working in group private banking and fund administration at the Bank of Bermuda HSBC, having successfully completed the Summer Internship Programme last summer in the insurance industry.

And he plans to seek further employment when he returns to Bermuda at Christmas, prior to re-entering the banking or insurance sector to fulfill his potential and meet his career goals.

His advice to any young Bermudians interested in getting into business is to realise their potential and make the most of it, by attaining good grades at school and taking part in community service projects to boost your CV.

"In Bermuda the opportunities are endless if you can realise your full potential," he said.

"If you put your front foot forward and are determined to get the scholarship you want you can succeed."

Mr. DeCouto, who has been working with Mr. Wade throughout his scholarship, said he found his pupil to be articulate, a good learner and communicator, as well as displaying a keen desire to learn for himself.

Ms Peniston is reading Risk Management and Insurance at St. John's University in New York and is set to graduate in 2011.