Alena Analeigh Wicker, 13, was accepted into the University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, making her the youngest Black student to be accepted into medical school.
Wicker is moving mountains as she is halfway through her undergraduate at Arizona State University (ASU) and Oakwood University in one year.
“What I want from healthcare is to really show these underrepresented communities that we can help, that we can find cures for these viruses,” Alena said to News 12.
Wanting to leave her mark on the world, Wicker expects to reach her goal of graduating by 18.
“I really want to leave my mark on the world. And lead a group of girls that know what they can do,” Wicker said.
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At 12, Wicker dreamed of working at NASA, which led her to apply and get accepted into ASU’s engineering program. After discovering her love for a different branch of science, Wicker changed her focus to Biology.
“It actually took one class in engineering for me to say this is kind of not where I wanted to go,” she said. “I think viral immunology really came from my passion for volunteering and going out there engaging with the world,” she added.
Wanting to inspire fellow young Black girls, Analeeigh created the Brown STEM Girl foundation at 12 years old and aimed to ” provide an outlet for girls of color in stem” through mentorship and scholarships.
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“I want to inspire the girls. I want them to see that there are no limits,” she proclaimed.
Wicker shared her excitement and expressed her gratitude for her mother’s endless support on Instagram.
“Statistics would have said I never would have made it. A little black girl adopted from Fontana California. I’ve worked so hard to reach my goals and live my dreams,” Wicker captioned her acceptance letter photo.
“Mama I made it. I couldn’t have done it without you. You gave me every opportunity possible to be successful. You cheered me on, wiped my tears, gave me oreos when I needed comfort, you never allowed me to settle, disciplined me when I needed,” she continued. “You are the best mother a kid could ever ask for. MAMA I MADE IT! You always believed in me.You allowed me space to grow and become, make mistakes without making me feel bad. You allowed me the opportunity to experience the world.”
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Wicker hopes to become a doctor by 18.