More great news about Black youth! Nkechinyere Chidi-Ogbolu is the next talented student to walk across the stage and onto bigger and better things before making it out of her teens. 

Chidi-Ogbolu, 18, just graduated magna cum laude from Howard University this past weekend. After obtaining a degree in Chemical Engineering, she’ll be heading off to University of California-Davis to start a doctoral program Biomedical Engineering.

In case you’re wondering how she managed all of this at such a young age, it’s a combination of intelligence – and a lot of it – and an international perspective.  Chidi-Ogbolu told The Hilltop she was raised in Nigeria, where it’s common for children to finish high school at the age of 16. It also helps that she skipped a grade. To her, going to college at 14 and graduating at 18 wasn’t difficult or even that big of a deal.

“I never felt learning was age-related. If you were taught the material and you’re serious about learning, you’ll be fine – regardless of your age,” Chidi-Ogbolu continued. “I didn’t find courses any more difficult than the typical college student.”

“I never felt learning was age-related. If you were taught the material and you’re serious about learning, you’ll be fine – regardless of your age,” she continued. “I didn’t find courses any more difficult than the typical college student.”

With a bright future ahead of her, Chidi-Ogbolu hopes to help cure diseases that affect people across the world, especially in her home country.

“I want to help fix illnesses like Ebola and other diseases – major or minor,” she said. “I want to help people in Nigeria.”

Author

  • Keith Reid-Cleveland is a proud product of Chicago's Southside and the Missouri School of Journalism. The Black Youth Project News Editor has written about politics, race and entertainment for multiple publications, such as Uproxx, The Undefeated, Black Nerd Problems, Comic Book Resources and more.