Graduation marks over 50 years of St Andrews’ Canadian links

The University of St Andrews celebrated its internationally Scottish links today (Friday 4 July) with the graduation of the 50th McEuen Scholar, Mathis Bourassa. Established in 1974, the McEuen Scholarship was designed to foster lasting connections between Scotland and Canada, providing Canadian students with the opportunity to study at St Andrews.

Hailing from a small town in Quebec, Mathis was awarded the scholarship in 2021. Describing it as “one of the most generous undergraduate scholarships in the world,” he arrived in St Andrews having never set foot in Scotland, but quickly made the most of the opportunities on offer.

Graduating with a First Class Honours in Economics and International Relations, Mathis also served as President of the University’s Global Investment Group and founded Pave the Way, a financial education initiative designed to deliver essential financial life skills to secondary school pupils across Scotland. Recognising a gap in financial literacy education, Mathis and a team of St Andrews students developed and delivered workshops on topics such as budgeting, student finance, savings, and understanding the fundamentals of personal financial planning.

John Aylen, President of the McEuen Scholarship Foundation, travelled from Canada to attend the graduation ceremony, celebrating both Mathis’ achievements and the long-standing connection between Scotland and Canada.

Reflecting on his four years in St Andrews, Mathis said: “From the beginning, I was struck by how welcoming the people were and how quickly the community made me feel at home. Studying in a town shaped by history, tradition, and innovation has been truly unique.”

Looking to the future, he will remain in Scotland, moving to Edinburgh to begin his career as an Investment Analyst. He credits his time at St Andrews, and the opportunities made possible through the McEuen Scholarship, with shaping both his academic journey and professional ambitions.