An evening at the Botanist Cafe & Garden Lounge in Bermuda showed why the island's bond with SMU runs deeper than a flight path.
When Sioma Rudo began her Bachelor of Commerce at Saint Mary's University this Fall, she was following a path her mother had taken too. Before leaving Bermuda, she joined alumni, current students and families at The Botanist Café to celebrate a connection many Bermudian families have passed down through generations.
Deep roots connect Halifax and Bermuda, dating back centuries. In the 1700s, Bermuda sloops carried salt to Nova Scotia, where it was used to preserve fish, and traded it for cod. For most of the 1800s, the Royal Navy's North American squadron spent summers in Halifax and winters at the naval dockyard in Bermuda.
Commerce connected the two as well. In 1882, the Merchants' Bank of Halifax, which later became RBC, appointed Nathaniel Butterfield, a Hamilton shipowner and the town's mayor, as its agent in Bermuda. His son Harry trained at the bank's Halifax head office, and the family incorporated its own bank in 1904. Today, the bank operates a support services office in downtown Halifax.
Sioma Rudo
Sioma arrived at SMU with an impressive record. In August, she was named Bermuda's Overall Outstanding Young Person at the 2026 Youth Trailblazers Out Front Awards. A former deputy head girl at The Berkeley Institute, she earned her associate degree from Bermuda College with distinction, runs two small businesses and has served on the Youth Advisory Board for Bermuda's Youth Mental Health Plan.
She was awarded the Sir Harry D. Butterfield Undergraduate Scholarship, which provides $30,000 a year toward her studies and can be renewed for up to four years. She plans to major in Human Resources Management.
The Rudo family travelled to Halifax together so she could see the campus that played such an important role in her family’s lives.
"I grew up hearing about Saint Mary's," said Sioma. "My mother, along with my aunt and brother, always talked about the friends they made, the professors who pushed them and how Halifax became a second home. When I finally walked the campus with them, I understood what they meant. It didn't feel like I was starting somewhere new. It felt like I was joining something my family was already part of."
Her story is a familiar one in Bermuda, where hundreds of Saint Mary's alumni have built a lasting connection between the island and the university. The connection rests on practical ties, including a shared time zone, a short nonstop flight and a transfer pathway from Bermuda College. It also rests on a history linking Bermuda and Halifax that goes back centuries.
“What stands out about Saint Mary’s connection to Bermuda is how deeply it runs through generations,” said Mary Ann Daye BComm'85, Director of Alumni Engagement. “Alumni who graduated decades ago are sharing their stories and advice with students who are just beginning at Saint Mary’s. These relationships have been built by families over many years, and it’s wonderful to see that tradition continuing with a new generation of Bermudian students.”
Alumni from several decades were in attendance at the send-off event, including Malcolm Butterfield BComm'75, Reeshemah Swan BA'93, Lisa Frias BComm’02 and Kimberley Joslyn BComm’02, who shared their own stories and experiences living in Halifax as university students.
SMU students Isai Gibbons, Peter Strachan and Sioma Rudo
Second-year Bachelor of Commerce student Peter Strachan spoke about his journey to Saint Mary’s and the challenges he overcame, offering encouragement to students about to begin their own university experience. His advice, drawn from his first year on campus, was warmly received by both students and their families. The evening provided an opportunity for incoming students to ask questions about classes, residence life, and what it is like to make the transition from Bermuda to Nova Scotia.
“I encourage new students to become involved in a student society. Two great groups are the “run for fun” club and the outdoor society,” said Peter. “In addition to the classes, there are many other activities to take advantage of, including hiking and skating. This year, I am looking forward to hearing firsthand from the business leaders who are coming to campus to connect with students.”
Ties that run centuries deep
The two places also share a chapter in North America’s history of Black freedom. At the end of the War of 1812, about 800 of the Black Refugees who fled slavery in the United States for Nova Scotia arrived by way of Bermuda.
In 1890, at the request of Archbishop Cornelius O'Brien of Halifax, four Sisters of Charity sailed to Bermuda and opened Mount Saint Agnes Academy, which still educates Bermudian students today. The sisters' voyage took four days. Today, the trip takes about two and a half hours.
Sioma is not the only new Bermudian Husky following a parent to Saint Mary's. Men's soccer newcomer Isai Gibbons, whose father graduated in 2006, joined the Huskies from Saltus Grammar School and the St. George's Colts.
Isai Gibbons. Source: SMU Huskies
Isai represented Bermuda at CONCACAF U20 Championship and U17 World Cup qualifiers and was nominated for Bermuda's Young Player of the Year in both 2025 and 2026. In September, he played alongside fellow Bermudians Sami Carolo and Kydan Browne as the Huskies drew 1-1 with Dalhousie at Wickwire Field.
"I believe that I can bring something special to the team," he said when he committed to Saint Mary's this summer.
As alumni swapped memories of walks along Spring Garden Road and favourite spots around Halifax, one important question needed answering: Is Tim Hortons still on campus? It is, and so is a warm welcome for the next generation of Bermudian Huskies.
Did you know? Saint Mary's offers a pathway with Bermuda College, where graduates of the college's two-year business associate programs can transfer up to 60 credit hours into the Bachelor of Commerce and may finish the degree in about two years. Learn more about the Bermuda College pathway to a Bachelor of Commerce.
Alumni who know a Bermudian student considering Saint Mary's can use our form to refer a future SMU student.
