A life-changing year
Thomas Seale (UCEAP 1977-1978) returned to the University of St Andrews in May 2025 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the University of California Education Abroad Program (UCEAP) that brought him to the Auld Grey Toon in 1977. He reflects upon his year studying at the University and the impact this has had on both his personal and professional life.
I spent my third year of university studying abroad at the University of St Andrews as part of the University of California Education Abroad Program UCEAP – this allowed University of California (UC) students the opportunity to spend a year at a partnered university. Securing a spot on the programme was a highly competitive process, but my hard work paid off when I was admitted in 1977. Receiving the letter of acceptance from St Andrews is a moment I will truly never forget. I remember racing up to the library at UC Santa Cruz to grab an atlas and search for my new destination of Fife – this was a time before Google Maps!
I was excited to begin my year abroad, but also somewhat trepidatious. I wondered how I would fare navigating the town of St Andrews, making new friends, and I even worried whether I would be able to understand my fellow students’ Scottish accents.
A year at St Andrews
To my relief, upon arrival, I found life at St Andrews to be more than welcoming. My only problem was that being from California and used to a far more tropical climate, I didn’t own a proper coat. I had brought with me only a thin nylon windbreaker to stave off the elements. That winter was certainly the coldest of my life!
My home for the year was St Salvator’s Hall – Sallies, as it’s known – and I lived in the newly built Gannochy House annexe on North Street. I quickly made several friends, many of whom I am still very close with today. We still get together and have enjoyed many Burns Suppers over the years – a nod to our beginnings at St Andrews.
During my Economics tutorial on The Scores back in early 1978, I met two French exchange students who were attending St Andrews for a semester. I invited one of them, Sophie, to the ‘Spring Fling’. Sophie and I were married and are still together 40 years on!! Needless to say, my time at St Andrews was life changing.
Life after graduation
Since graduating in 1979 from the University of California, I have been working in finance – this involved relocating to Luxembourg to work as a Managing Director of Citibank and subsequently taking on the position of CEO of European Fund Administration. I now work as an independent director in the finance industry, and in 2024, I was proud to be appointed ‘Chevalier de l’Ordre Grand-Ducal de la Couronne de Chêne’ (a Knight of the Order of the Oak Crown) by Grand Duke Henri in recognition of my time spent working in Luxembourg.
Alongside this, in 2010, I founded an olive oil business with my wife and three children, located on our farm in Provence, France, where we now live. This has been a great success, with our AOP Provence olive oil becoming award-winning.
A celebratory return
It was an honour to be welcomed back to the University of St Andrews in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the UCEAP’s partnership with the University. During this reception I received the Linda Duttenhaver Distinguished Alumni Award in recognition of my commitment and service to the UCEAP and the wider study abroad community.
My St Andrews journey began with the UCEAP 48 years ago, and the transformative year I spent here inspired me to continue working with current UC study abroad students. For the past 10 years, my wife and I have been hosting UC students studying abroad in France on our family farm for a weekend harvest, concluding with a delicious Thanksgiving feast. I’ll always remember the warm welcome I was given at St Andrews and the confidence I gained during my year of study, which I still carry with me in my career today. I hope that I can provide students with a taste of this in France, giving them a unique experience that they can build upon in their lives post-graduation.