While living in Nigeria Nkechinyere Chidi-Ogbolu skipped two grades which positioned her to graduate two years earlier than her Nigerian counterparts and four years earlier than her American counterparts.

“Typically students graduate high school in Nigeria at age 16,” she said. “I graduated high school and entered Howard at age 14,” Chidi-Ogbolu said.

Now she’s graduating from Howard University at the age when American students would be receiving their high school diplomas. Initially she didn’t think much of it but the praise she has received filled her with pride and excitement.

“I didn’t think graduating at 18 was a big deal,” the 18-year-old graduate said.

“But, when everyone else said they were proud of me, I felt emotional to get recognition from so many people.”

After earning a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering Chidi-Ogbolu has her eyes set on her Ph. D. and the University of California where she will be studying biomedical engineering in the fall.

“I participated in an internship in Davis, California and applied to other schools in California, but I met professors and friends while interning there, so attending UC – Davis is much easier.”

Raising the bar and setting an exemplary example, congratulations Nkechinyere!