Matthew Oliveira Receives XL Catlin Scholarship
XL Catlin announced today that the 2018 XL Catlin Scholarship has been awarded to Warwick Academy Deputy Head Boy Matthew Oliveira, who is also well known as one of the island’s top cyclists.
The XL Catlin Scholarship is a four-year full scholarship open to students who are Bermudian or hold Permanent Resident Certificate status and are working toward a degree in [re]insurance industry related studies.
Pictured with Matthew Oliveira is Patrick Tannock, Managing Director, XL Catlin Leadership Council & Chief Executive Officer, Insurance, XL Bermuda Ltd and Jonathan Gale, Managing Director, XL Catlin Leadership Council & Chief Executive Officer, Reinsurance, XL Bermuda Ltd.
Eighteen-year-old Matthew, the son of Cathie and Cesar Oliveira of Southampton, was selected from a list of close to 30 eligible applicants for the scholarship.
Matthew will be attending Loughborough University in the UK this September. He will be studying Business and Finance as he plans to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and Management and to pursue a career in the [re]insurance industry.
Describing himself as “as one who aims to achieve the highest standards” and “incredibly driven”, Matthew’s academic and athletic achievements to date reflect this. His academic achievements include scoring an A* in Mathematics at International General Certificate of Secondary Education [“IGCSE”] level when he sat the examination ahead of schedule.
At Warwick Academy, Matthew received the International Baccalaureate Scholarship for both the 2016/17 and 2017/18 academic years and was on the Principal’s List throughout high school including in the Sixth Form. He also earned the highest IGCSE grades in Year 11 at Warwick Academy.
In addition to this, Matthew is one of Bermuda’s top junior cyclists. He has won numerous local and international races, including gold medals in the Junior Caribbean Cycling Road Race Championship in Barbados and the Youth Commonwealth Games Cycling Time Trial in Bahamas last year.
His local accomplishments include winning the Bermuda Bicycle Association’s Male Cyclist of the Year Award in 2016 and 2017, the Bermuda Government Youth and Sports Junior Male Cyclist of the Year Award in 2015, 2016 and 2017, the President’s Cup Race in cycling last August, the Bermuda Junior Male Road Race last June, the Sinclair Packwood Memorial Race in 2016 and three years in a row [2015 to 2017] he was crowned Bermuda Junior Male Time Trial Champion in cycling. Recently Matthew, who competes overseas for Hot Tubes – a top junior development cycling team in the US, achieved several top finishes in the Junior Tour of Ireland.
Besides cycling, Matthew enjoys competing in local triathlons, lionfish hunting and helping to protect Bermuda’s coral reef system.
Despite his busy schedule, Matthew also finds the time to participate in community service activities in Bermuda. They have included volunteering at the annual PALS Fair and raising funds for the Bermuda Sloop Foundation via the Pirates of Bermuda event.
XL Catlin Scholarship Committee Chairperson, Carol Parker Trott, said: “We are proud to have Matthew as our 2018 XL Catlin Scholar. He is the epitome of what this scholarship is all about.
“It is not just about rewarding someone for academic achievements. It is an investment in well-rounded students who demonstrate their commitment to excellence in and outside the classroom and convince the Committee that they have what it takes to honourably represent the scholarship, the company, their community and the industry now and well into the future. Given his performance so far, we have no doubt that Matthew will accomplish this and much more.”
Well done Matthew, we are oh so proud of you,
Congratulations, Matthew! What an all rounder you are!