Three young Saint Lucians, Nyus Alfred, Amanie Mathurin and Patrish Lionel, all hailing from the south of the island, traded the warmth of home and Saint Lucia’s sun for lecture halls in London and Liverpool, long nights of research, and the often grey and biting cold of a British winter.
One year later, they have returned under the prestigious Chevening Scholarship programme not just with master’s degrees, but with distinctions that place them among the top performers at some of the United Kingdom’s leading universities.
Topping the class at LSE
For Nyus Alfred, the journey to the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) was both intimidating and transformative. He graduated with an Overall Distinction, earning distinctions in all seven of his programme courses and receiving the award for Best Overall MSc Academic Performance in the Department of Media and Communications, ranking first in his cohort.
Coming from what he describes as “our tiny dot on the map”, Alfred admitted he initially questioned whether he could keep pace in such a demanding academic environment.
“I’ll admit, I was nervous about whether I truly had what it took to thrive there,” he said. After receiving early feedback that pushed him to embrace a more theoretical approach, he adjusted. “I studied it, and essentially decoded the LSE approach until I felt confident.”
The results were extraordinary.
“Coming from our tiny dot on the map to top a cohort filled with brilliant minds from the world’s most elite universities was an incredibly emotional realisation,” he reflected. “I feel immensely proud to have seen it through at this level.”
Beyond the grades, Alfred said the bond formed with fellow Caribbean scholars became an anchor in the unfamiliar terrain of UK life. “We became a family,” he said, describing the cultural adjustments, shared holidays, and group study sessions that shaped his year abroad.
Research rooted in home
For Amanie Mathurin, who also pursued an MSc in Media, Communication and Development at LSE, the experience was the fulfilment of an eight-year dream. She graduated with an Overall Distinction, earning distinctions in five of her six courses, including her final dissertation.
“Graduating from LSE was the culmination of an eight-year dream,” she said. On her first day, she visited the campus building named after Saint Lucia’s Nobel Laureate, Sir Arthur Lewis. “I took a moment to reflect on the fact that I was standing there as a proud Saint Lucian, attending one of the world’s leading universities.”
Mathurin described the year as both challenging and exhilarating. “There was so much to learn, and more importantly to unlearn and question,” she explained. When the distinctions came through, she said it felt like “the icing on top”.
Her dissertation remained grounded in her homeland. Titled ‘Singing For Di Maléwé’ – Resistance, Knowledge, and Political Discourse in Saint Lucia’s Calypso’, the research examined calypso not simply as music, but as a powerful social and political discourse.
Shortly after returning to Saint Lucia, Mathurin presented the research at the Rex Nettleford Arts Conference in Jamaica, highlighting local arts and culture before a regional audience.
“I want to continue doing work that encourages a deep engagement and understanding of our history, identity and culture as Saint Lucians,” she said.
Perseverance through personal trials
Patrish Lionel pursued a Master of Arts in Strategic People Management and Practice at Liverpool John Moores University, graduating with a Distinction. But her year was marked by more than academic pressure.
Her first assignment score humbled her. “I received 60 out of 100, which broke me,” she admitted. Yet that early setback became fuel. “That 60 mark would then be my lowest overall, with my highest mark, 87, being achieved in semester two. What a turnaround!”
Then came personal challenges. She received news that her father had been hit by a stray bullet in Castries during her dissertation period. Weeks later, her grandmother passed away just before her return home.
“I continued through silent tears and sleepless nights because I would not allow myself to return home with an unfinished project,” she said.
When she learned she had achieved distinction status, the moment was deeply emotional. “It was a fulfilling moment for me and all I could do was thank God again and again.”
Lionel now hopes to apply her knowledge to modernising Saint Lucia’s public service, particularly in workforce planning. “I aim to utilise my newly acquired knowledge… to eventually contribute to shaping the public service’s long-term HR strategy,” she said.
A small but mighty cohort
Alfred described the trio as “a small but mighty group of three”. They studied together, kept each other accountable, and carried a shared understanding that their success extended beyond personal ambition.
“Our success wasn’t just for us; it was about paving the way for future scholars from our island,” he said.
As Mathurin put it, “Though we may be considered small by some measures, we continue to maintain a significant presence on the global stage and nothing is beyond our reach.”
