The Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB) has announced two (2) finalists as it nears the end of its process to select the 2011 Financial Services Student of the Year.
These are:

• Janeille R. Brathwaite – BBA, Business Management

• Mandelia K. Morris – BBA, Banking and Finance

Candidates were selected from the 2011 Graduating Class of the College of the Bahamas (COB).

The student award programme is in its 9th year, and is sponsored in collaboration with COB, the Professional Industry Association Working Group and the Central Bank of the Bahamas. Its objective is to recognise an outstanding graduating student from within COB’s School of Business; this includes all financial services relevant disciplines – economics, banking and finance, accountancy, and law. It has been extended as well to computer information systems, marketing and management and this year, for the first time, to the School of Law. The criterion for initial selection is a GPA of 3.5 or above, with additional criteria also including COB and community involvement, an interview by an industry panel to assess comportment and economic savvy, and a written submission.

The programme is a part of BFSB’s Financial Centre Focus (FCF), an ongoing initiative that has as its primary objective the integration of the industry with the wider community.

An essential part of the FCF is to attract and maintain qualified professionals to the sector. BFSB CEO & Executive Director Wendy Warren says, *“In this regard, particular attention is placed on highlighting the importance of quality human resources to the industry, and also on profiling outstanding individuals through the awards programmes.”*

The 2011 FSI Student of the Year will be announced at BFSB’s FSI Excellence Awards Ceremony on November 11, when BFSB also will present its Executive of the Year, Professional of the Year, Achiever of the Year, Mentor of the Year and Financial Services Development & Promotion awards.