Alena Analeigh Wicker
{{Short description|American student}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Alena Analeigh McQuarter
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2008|11|19}}
| birth_place = Fontana, California, U.S.
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Student
| notable_works =
| spouse =
| children =
}}
Alena Analeigh (Wicker) McQuarter (born November 19, 2008) is an American student who is the youngest person to be accepted into medical school in the United States,{{Cite news |last=Southern |first=Keiran |date=July 21, 2022 |title=Bullied girl, 13, wins a place at medical school |language=en |work=The Times |url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/article/bullied-girl-13-wins-a-place-at-medical-school-t3vszvcnf |access-date=July 22, 2022 |issn=0140-0460}}{{Cite web |last=Grove |first=Rashad |date=July 11, 2022 |title=EBONY HBCU STEM Queen Alena Analeigh Wicker Becomes Youngest Black Person to Ever be Accepted Into Medical School • EBONY |url=https://www.ebony.com/news/alena-analeigh-wicker-becomes-the-youngest-black-person-ever-to-be-accepted-into-medical-school/ |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=EBONY |language=en-US |archive-date=July 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722024749/https://www.ebony.com/news/alena-analeigh-wicker-becomes-the-youngest-black-person-ever-to-be-accepted-into-medical-school/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Diaz |first=Adriana |date=July 20, 2022 |title=Girl, 13, is youngest black student accepted to medical school: 'What is age?' |url=https://nypost.com/2022/07/20/girl-13-is-youngest-black-student-accepted-to-medical-school/ |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=New York Post |language=en-US}} and the second-youngest person to be accepted into medical school overall.{{Cite web |last=Steinbach |first=Alison |title=She started college at ASU when she was 12. Now 13, she's already accepted to medical school |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/local/arizona-education/2022/07/14/alena-analeigh-13-year-old-asu-student-heading-medical-school/10042717002/ |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}} She is also the youngest person ever to work as an intern at NASA.{{Cite web |last=Andre |date=December 31, 2021 |title=Meet phenomenal 13-year-old college student NASA's youngest intern |url=https://baltimoretimes-online.com/news/education/2021/12/30/meet-phenomenal-13-year-old-college-student-nasas-youngest-intern/ |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=The Baltimore Times Online Newspaper |language=en-US |archive-date=July 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722024749/https://baltimoretimes-online.com/news/education/2021/12/30/meet-phenomenal-13-year-old-college-student-nasas-youngest-intern/ |url-status=live }}
Personal life
Wicker was born in Fontana, California, and grew up outside of Fort Worth, Texas. Her mother is Daphne McQuarter,{{Cite web |last=Azari |first=Aryana |date=April 12, 2021 |title=This 12-year-old genius has her sights set on becoming a NASA engineer |url=https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/living/story/12-year-genius-sights-set-nasa-engineer-76923842 |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=Good Morning America |language=en |archive-date=July 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722024759/https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/living/story/12-year-genius-sights-set-nasa-engineer-76923842 |url-status=live }} and she has two sisters.
Wicker began reading chapter books when she was three years old,{{Cite news |last=Page |first=Sydney |date=July 20, 2022 |title=She got accepted into medical school. She's 13. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2022/07/20/alena-analeigh-wicker-college-stem/ |access-date=July 23, 2022 |newspaper=The Washington Post |archive-date=July 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220723013507/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2022/07/20/alena-analeigh-wicker-college-stem/ |url-status=live }} and developed a love for Lego the following year.{{Cite web |last=Lockett |first=Phyllis |title=Reimagining Learning: An Interview With Alena Analeigh, The Brown STEM Girl |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/phyllislockett/2021/10/07/reimagining-learning-an-interview-with-alena-analeigh-the-brown-stem-girl/ |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=Forbes |language=en}} In elementary school, she was bullied, and her principal said she "couldn't get all A's because of [her] skin color". Shortly after, McQuarter opted to homeschool her, though Wicker returned to school in fifth grade, continuing an advanced curriculum to complete high school requirements.
She spent time living abroad in Amman, Jordan, which inspired her to learn Arabic and Spanish.
Education
Wicker graduated from her high school near Fort Worth, Texas at age 12, after which she began attending Arizona State University.{{Cite web |last=Medina |first=Wendy |title=13-Year-Old Makes History as Youngest Black Person to Get Accepted Into Medical School |url=https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/431427 |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=Entrepreneur |date=July 14, 2022 |language=en |archive-date=July 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722024750/https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/431427 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Charles |first=Niala |date=July 6, 2022 |title='I want to leave my mark on the world': 13-year-old girl gets accepted into medical school |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/offbeat/i-want-to-leave-my-mark-on-the-world-13-year-old-girl-gets-accepted-into-medical-school/ar-AAZkYPh |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=MSN |language=en-US}} She initially double-majored in astronomical and planetary science and chemistry, hoping to one day be a NASA engineer.{{Cite web |date=March 24, 2021 |title=Good News: 12-Year-Old Alena Wicker Is Starting College This Summer |url=https://kellyandryan.com/video/good-news-12-year-old-alena-wicker-is-starting-college-this-summer/ |access-date=July 22, 2022 |website=LIVE with Kelly and Ryan |language=en-US}} After a trip to Jordan with the Brown STEM Girl foundation, she became interested in viral immunology and switched her major to pre-med.
On May 13, 2022, the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Heersink School of Medicine offered Wicker admission in 2024 through the school's Burroughs Wellcome Scholars Early Assurance Program, "which partners with several Black schools in Alabama to offer students early acceptance as they plan to enter medical school." She accepted the offer later that summer.
Career
While completing high school, Wicker "noticed the racial and gender disparities in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields," which led her to develop the Brown STEM Girl (BSG) website. She imagined using BSG to "create this culture of Brown girls in STEM." She developed a business plan and contacted business people to get the foundation started. BSG provides scholarships, mentorships, internships, and other support to girls of color pursuing education in STEM.{{Cite web |last=NBC News |date=May 13, 2021 |title=12-Year-Old Heads To College With Goal To Change STEM |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qApfpi7WTl8 |access-date=July 23, 2022 |website=YouTube |archive-date=July 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722130036/https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=qApfpi7WTl8 |url-status=live }} BSG also offers opportunities for girls of color to study abroad in Singapore. Wicker founded Dorm Room Makeover™ as part of her First Year College Initiative for first year girls of color majoring in STEM Fields.
In 2021, Wicker became the youngest person to intern for NASA. There, she "worked on various assignments including remote research for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California."
On July 28, 2022, Wicker appeared on Good Morning America to discuss her early acceptance into medical school and to offer advice to other young people.{{cite web|url=https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/wellness/story/13-year-girl-medical-school-shares-advice-kids-87530715|title=13-year-old girl going to medical school shares advice for other kids|last1=Kindelan|first1=Katie|last2=Acquavella|first2=Alyssa|publisher=Good Morning America|date=July 28, 2022|accessdate=August 3, 2022}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2022-07-28 |title=13-year-old speaks out about getting accepted into medical school |url=https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/living/video/13-year-makes-history-accepted-medical-school-87538306 |access-date=2023-03-27 |website=Good Morning America |language=en}}
Awards and honors
Because of Wicker's work, multiple mayors have proclaimed April 30 "Brown STEM Girl STEM in the City Day Honoring Women of Color in STEM."{{Cite web |title=Downtown Tempe celebrates Arizona Excellence Through Appointment of Grand Parade Marshals |url=https://www.downtowntempe.com/post/2021parademarshals |access-date=2022-12-15 |website=Downtown Tempe |archive-date=April 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408070524/https://www.downtowntempe.com/post/2021parademarshals |url-status=live }} The governor of Texas has also included a proclamation.
She is an Ambassador for Saving Our Daughters/Keke Palmer Foundation.{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}}
| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
!Year !Sponsor !Award/honor !Result !Ref. |
| 2021
|Nominee |
| 2022
|TIME and Nickelodeon |Kid of the Year |Finalist |
| 2022
|Global Child Prodigy Awards |World in Science |Recipient |
| 2022
|United States of America |President’s Volunteer Service Lifetime Achievement Award |Recipient |{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=July 28, 2022 |title=13-year-old accepted into medical school |url=https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/gma3/video/13-year-accepted-medical-school-87551766 |access-date=2022-12-15 |website=Good Morning America |language=en}} |
| 2022
|Recipient |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://bsgscholars.brizy.site/ The Brown STEM Girl Foundation]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wicker, Alena Analeigh}}
Category:American women scientists
Category:People from Fontana, California
Category:People from Fort Worth, Texas