Esposito ’22 to Spend 2020-21 Academic Year at Ancient Scottish University
Each year, the St. Andrew’s Society of Philadelphia aims to send a select few American students to study at one of Scotland’s four ancient universities. Ursinus is one of only 30 colleges and universities whose students can be awarded this scholarship, nominating one student each year.
This year, Carlie Esposito ’22, a biology and psychology double major, will be travelling abroad for the prestigious program.
The St. Andrew’s Society Scholarship is designed to foster an academic and cultural relationship between Scotland and the United States through this exchange. Each of the American students are chosen from the pool of applicants from the Philadelphia area and will attend one of the “Four Ancients” for an entire year. The schools, considered Scottish equivalents of Ivy League schools in the U.S., are the Universities of Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and St. Andrew’s. Likewise, several Scottish students will be sent to study at the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University for the academic year.
Esposito will be spending the 2020-21 academic year at the University of Aberdeen, which was founded in 1495.
As Esposito looked into applying for the program, she found a surprising familial connection to Scotland. “I found out about it as I was applying for this scholarship,” she shared, “My great great great grandfather, George Lawrence, was born and lived in Aberdeen, Scotland, and married Lady Maude Mary Tighe. She gave up her status for love, and thus my lineage continued through my dad and then to me.”
Esposito is excited to learn about the customs, celebrations, traditions and holidays that bring people together and wants to jump right in to forming long-lasting connections with the people around her. “I think it’s going to be an amazing experience and help me learn so much, not only academically, but about myself, my heritage and a new culture,” Esposito said.
“I was honored to be selected from the Ursinus pool of applicants, but I am even more honored to now be a scholarship recipient.” – By Mary Lobo ’15