Earlier this month Polite Stewart Jr. earned a bachelor’s degree in physics at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. While a very small percentage of bachelor’s degree awards in physics go to African Americans, Stewart’s achievement is all the more remarkable given that he is only 18 years old.
Stewart got offers from colleges and universities across the country but decided to attend college near his home, about 10 miles from the Southern University campus. When he was high school age, Stewart took college-level classes at Southern University’s Timbuktu Academy. He had been home schooled.
During college he conducted summer research at North Carolina State University. He plans to start graduate school in the fall and pursue a career in biological and physics engineering.
Proud of that young African American man! His future needs to remain bright and protected – he’s carrying the hopes of all of us.
Bravo, young man! A proud product of the dedicated mentoring of Professors Diola Bagayoko and Ella Kelly-Bagayoko at the Timbuktu Academy.
Congratulations to Polite Stewart, Jr. I hope you’ll think of us at MIT when considering what graduate programs to apply to!