Photo - Greg Coleman
Greg Coleman didn’t just study economics — he lived it, questioned it, and used it as a lens to understand the world. Originally from Connecticut, USA, Greg moved to Canada on a French language scholarship and completed an Honours BSocSc in Economics (French Immersion) at the University of Ottawa, graduating with a 9.0 GPA and a strong sense of civic purpose.

For Greg, economics isn’t about charts and equations alone — it’s about the ripple effects of our decisions as individuals and as a society. What drew him to the discipline was a desire to understand how policies shape real lives, and how critical thinking can help build a better future.

One of the defining moments of his academic journey was participating in the Bank of Canada’s Governor’s Challenge in 2023–2024, where he and his team represented uOttawa as national finalists. Preparing for this high-level competition taught him not just how to defend economic analysis — but how to ask hard questions, embrace uncertainty, and grow through collaboration.

Greg’s impact wasn’t limited to the classroom. He served as an Operations Commissioner with the University of Ottawa Students’ Union, advocating for accessible student programming and funding inclusive events that brought people together.

Now based in Montréal, he’s working as a Project Manager at the Peter-McGill Community Table, an organization that fosters collaboration among nonprofits serving immigrants, seniors, and vulnerable groups. There, Greg continues to apply economic thinking in grounded, community-driven ways.

His advice to future students: “Let your curiosity lead. Grades matter — but so does the life you build around them. Join a club. Take the long way home. Talk to a professor. Explore the city. When you follow what genuinely interests you, everything else tends to fall into place.”

A quote that sticks with him: “We are our choices.” — Jean-Paul Sartre. A simple line that reminds him: every step we take shapes who we become.