14-Year-Old Keniah Washington Graduates From Saint Leo University, Plans To Become Neonatologist

At 14 years old, Keniah Washington has graduated from college.

Washington graduated with a liberal arts associate’s degree from Saint Leo University in Florida and a 3.0 GPA, according to USA Today. With the support of her former high school teachers and staff, she enrolled in a dual-enrollment program while attending Icon Preparatory School in Tampa, FL, and took online courses.

“I started taking high school courses when I was in sixth grade,” Keniah said. “Once the teachers and staff saw that I was still excelling in my work, they enrolled me and a group of other kids in Saint Leo, and we had a tutor.”

Washington admits that reaching her goal was not easy. She had to skip some school events, such as prom and homecoming.

“My biggest challenge was being on track and not trying to fall behind,” she said, per USA Today. “I was missing out on prom and homecoming — everything other people experienced in high school. But I told myself that… I’m doing the high school courses now so I can finish school early, so it doesn’t really matter if I go to prom. I just kept [encouraging] myself.”

Looking ahead, Washington intends to become a neonatologist caring for babies and has already been accepted into nursing programs. She plans to take her first courses in the fall.

“I want to experience working with other people and being in class with a whole room full of people, not just a few kids,” Washington said, via USA Today. “There is a lot to learn because I’m going to be the youngest one in there. I want to experience college life, living on campus, and other things like that… I want [to explore] other parts of the world.”