Derek Hughes Scholarship Program

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.

The 2024-2025 scholarship application is closed. Winners will be announced on April 15. The 2025-2026 application will open in November 2024 and will be due in March 2025.

Awards

Up to 30 $5,000 scholarships will be awarded; $2,500 for Fall 2025 and $2,500 for Spring 2026. Learn more in the program brochure.  

Additional benefits to scholarship recipients:
  • $250 for completion of the Surplus Lines Fundamentals online course
  • Support to attend a WSIA Education Foundation symposium. Includes free registration, up to a $400 travel stipend, and overnight hotel cost.
  • Resume shared with WSIA members.
  • Opportunity to sign up for webinars offered through WSIA.

Scholarship Criteria 

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 a college sophomore, junior or senior enrolled full time in an undergraduate program and not graduating before Fall 2025 (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 pursuing a Risk Management and/or Insurance (RMI) major, minor, or concentration; or
    • Have taken RMI courses; or
    • Have work experience in the insurance industry.
  • Plan to pursue a position in the excess and surplus lines industry upon graduation. 
Previous recipients are eligible to receive the scholarship in subsequent years but must reapply each year. Preference is given to students pursuing an RMI degree. 

Scholarship Qualifications and Materials 

The following documents should be prepared and ready to upload as part of the online application:

  • A resume that is no longer than two pages
  • Unofficial transcripts that show all undergraduate courses and grades including transfer courses and grades 
  • An essay no more than 500 words answering one of the following questions:

a. How do you plan to make an impact in your organization once you enter the surplus lines industry?
OR
b. What characteristics make you a good fit for the surplus lines industry and why? Include examples from any work or classroom experiences.

Note: The prompt is intended to be broad, as this is your opportunity to give the committee an impression of who you are as an individual and why you stand out from other well-qualified candidates. It is recommended that you research the industry and the people who work in it to formulate a purposeful, personal response to this question.  

About Derek Hughes

Born and raised in Liverpool, England, Derek Hughes began his insurance career there in 1957 with the Royal Exchange Insurance Group. He emigrated to the United States in 1961 and, after working for several insurance firms, found his way to the excess and surplus lines industry and Western World Insurance Company in 1968. He retired from Western World as CEO in 1991.

Hughes served on the board of directors of NAPSLO, a WSIA legacy association, and chaired its education committee for many years. During his tenure, he led the development of the association’s first education program, with a goal to both educate and support young talent coming into the industry and to provide ongoing professional development and education for industry veterans and regulators who often misunderstood the surplus lines market. That mission and his legacy remain at the forefront of the association and foundation’s education program today.

Previous Scholarship Recipients

For a list of previous recipients, click on the links below.

2023 Scholarship Recipients
2022 Scholarship Recipients
2021 Scholarship Recipients
2020 Scholarship Recipients
2019 Scholarship Recipients
2018 Scholarship Recipients
2017 Scholarship Recipients
2016 Scholarship Recipients
2015 Scholarship Recipients
2014 Scholarship Recipients
2013 Scholarship Recipients
2012 Scholarship Recipients
2011 Scholarship Recipients
2010 Scholarship Recipients