Michelle Onyia Awarded $15,000 Scholarship
ABIC announced a new one year $15,000 scholarship in undergraduate businesses and finance studies, established in honour of Mrs. Shernelle Outerbridge, the late CEO of Zurich Investment Services in Bermuda who passed away following an accident in 2011.
Mrs. Outerbridge was a recipient of a 1984 ABIC award, which helped her to achieve her Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Policy & Administration from York University in Toronto, Canada in 1987.
In 1995 she received her Masters Degree from Webster University in Business Administration and Finance — accomplished while balancing married and family life as well asattending night classes. After working for 12 years for the company, she was named President of Zurich Investment Services.
In her memory, Zurich has created the Shernelle M. Outerbridge scholarship to be offered each year, as an additional grant to one candidate who has already been identified for an ABIC scholarship.
“ABIC is very pleased to be able to offer this new scholarship to a deserving Bermudian wishing to pursue finance or business studies and we thank Zurich for their support and contribution,” said ABIC Education Awards Chairman Roy Fellowes.“This award is a fitting tribute to Mrs. Outerbridge’s character and achievements, and her own contribution to business in Bermuda.”
This year’s recipient is Michelle Onyia. Michelle will be entering Mount Saint Vincent University in the fall where she intends to pursue her Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Mathematics. A personal reference of Michelle described her as being “an excellent role model, rare and wonderful delight, and has a keen and exceptional character.”
Zurich’s Mike Deevy, Michelle Onyia, and Zurich CEO Philip Thorne:
The ABIC Education Awards program is one of the largest and most broadly supported scholarship programs 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.
Established 35 years ago the awards have helped more than 500 Bermuda students achieve their undergraduate education. 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. Details of scholarships are available on the ABIC website.
The Outerbridge Family said: “As she did so often in her life, so she does in her death. Shernelle gives us love, hope, inspiration and guidance. And now through this scholarship, in a spiritual sense, she continues to give and make others happy. The family would like to thank Zurich for this kind gesture in awarding this scholarship in her name. It is our hope that the future recipients of this generous award will be inspired to do great things and make this world a better place as Shernelle did.”
Oh WOW only if Shernelle was here to witness this………. This is so wonderful. Words cannot express how wonderful this gester is……. To Michelle walk tall as Shernelle would have done.
Thanks Zurich for this great gift! Thanks for the honor you have bestowed on Shernelle and the Outerbridge family. Much success, Michelle.
This article really warms my heart, congratulations Michelle and all the best in your studies. Great reporting yet again Bernews.
Simply wonderful…
What an awesome honor! Shernelle would be humbled by this gesture, and I’m sure that the Outerbridge and Robinson families are delighted with this scholarship in her name. In particular, her parents, siblings, and children, who like the rest of her family, treasured her for the woman she was. I hope that this awardee and all future recipients will be inspired by Shernelle’s legacy, and truly recognize the contributions she made to Bermuda. She was young, gifted, lovely, humble, spiritual, kind, intelligent and an inspiration. Zurich and ABIC – you have done a wonderful thing!