Trey Dykeman ’25 to Study at Ancient Scottish University as a St. Andrews Scholar
Each year, the St. Andrews Society of Philadelphia selects a small group of American students from only 30 participating institutions to study at the oldest universities in the English-speaking world. This year, Trey Dykeman ’25 was the society’s favored recipient.
With an incredibly rich 600-year history, the University of St Andrews has cultivated a prolific legacy of excellence in all areas of study, research, and student experience. Not only is it Scotland’s oldest university, it’s also widely regarded as its finest, even recently being named the Scottish University of the Year.
Trey Dykeman ’25 is set to spend his junior year at St Andrews as the top recipient of the $35,000 St. Andrew’s Society of Philadelphia Scholarship, a prestigious award that funds a full year of study abroad at one of the “Four Ancients,” which are the Scottish parallels of Ivy League institutions in the United States. Awardees are chosen through a highly selective process which includes interviews, essay writing, and leadership recommendations. As the top winner, Trey was given priority in selecting his choice of the universities available within the program.
“I left my home state of Wyoming for Pennsylvania to expand my perspective and enjoy new experiences and I’m excited to have the opportunity to do that again in a bigger way,” said Trey. “Most of all, I’m excited to be a part of St Andrews’ 45 percent international student population, which means I’ll be interacting with and learning from people with extraordinarily diverse backgrounds.”
At Ursinus, Trey has been able to hone his many interests by self-initiating a major in philosophy, politics, and economics (PPE) with a minor in a gender, women’s, and sexuality studies (GWSS).
He explained, “my greatest passion—philosophy—is rooted in practice. Most early economists were first and foremost philosophers, and I want to bring ethical considerations back to that discipline while putting them in practice through politics.”
Trey will explore greater depths of these interests while in Scotland, with plans to take advantage of St Andrews’ world-class analytic philosophy and behavioral economics departments in addition to immersing himself in the university’s culture, clubs, and societies, including Amnesty International, the United Nations Association, and the philosophy club.
Ursinus is one of few colleges and universities whose students can become St. Andrews Scholars. Students are typically introduced to the program through college leadership, whose recommendations are vital to recipient selection. Trey was introduced to the scholarship by Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies Kelly Sorensen, who encouraged him to apply after hearing of his interest in two renowned Scottish philosophers and economists, David Hume and Adam Smith.
As a St. Andrews Scholar, Trey adds to a growing list of Ursinus students who will trek across the globe as recipients of distinguished awards. Just this month, Jesse Wun ’22 received the esteemed Fulbright Award. Shortly before that, Paige Bristow ’23 was selected as a Watson Fellow.
When asked about his journey so far, Trey shared, “the entire process has been a memorable experience, but meeting members of the society and my exchange counterparts from Scotland has been the most exciting part so far.”
The most exceptional moments are yet to come, however, as Trey departs for Scotland this fall.