In order to be eligible for this scholarship, students must meet the following guiding principles: Have an overall GPA of 3.25 or a major GPA of 3.5 or higher (both on a 4.0 scale); Be an incoming college sophomore, junior or senior enrolled full time in an undergraduate program and not graduating before Fall (graduate students are not eligible); Be enrolled full-time (minimum of 12 credit hours) in an undergraduate degree program; Satisfy one of the following substantive requirements: Be pursing a Risk Management and/or Insurance (RMI) major, minor, or concentration; or Have taken RMI courses; or Have work experience in the insurance industry. Must plan to pursue a position in the excess and surplus lines industry upon graduation.
Established in 1998, the Derek Hughes Scholarship Program, sponsored by the WSIA Education Foundation, supports undergraduate students pursuing an insurance or business-related program of study. The purpose of the scholarship program is to further the study of insurance and encourage, support, and reward those exceptional students who have an interest in an insurance career and specifically in the surplus lines industry. The program is named for Derek Hughes, to honor his contributions to the surplus line industry and the Foundation.