Charleston Christina Lee, 17, the daughter of Calvin Todd and Kimberly Lee, became the youngest person to graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Paine College.
At an age when most students her age are focused on graduating from high school, Lee received her degree in mathematics Sunday at the 140th commencement convocation at the David and Betty C. Peterson HEAL Complex, according to a news release from Paine College.
Georgia State Senator Lester G. Jackson, III, returned to his alma mater to give the commencement address to the Class of 2022.
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A graduate of Charles Henry Terrell Academy, Lee started taking dual college courses at Paine College when she was only 12. Elected as the president of the Paine College Student Government Association, she holds or has held memberships in several organizations such as The Collegiate 100, the Sociology Club and the Honda Campus Allstar Challenge. She has also held memberships in the Creative Symphony Elite Traveling Dance Team, National Honor Society, 4H Club and the National Foreign Language Honor Society (Mandarin).
Her honors, awards and achievements include Presidential Scholar Award, Deans List, Merit Scholar, Valedictorian, Miss Pink and Green, Leadership Award (4H) Micro Soft Expertise Award, Alex Haley Literacy Award, Isaac Newton Science Award and the James Brown I Got Soul Award (Trumpet). In addition, she has participated in Peer Tutoring, Iron Man and the Good Foot Walk. Lee has volunteered for the following: James Brown Annual Turkey Give Away, Tiaras and Pearls, James Brown Toy Drive and the American Cancer Society.
Always wanting more, never ceasing to thirst and seek knowledge has been a key to her success, she said.
Lee hopes to enroll at Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tenn., to pursue a Master of Science Degree in Data Science. Her career goal is to become a data scientist at Google.
