Teen on graduating from Sam Houston State: 'As long as you keep trying, you will eventually reach your goal'

Fifteen is an age when most adolescents are learning how to drive and navigating their sophomore year of high school. 

Fifteen-year-old Nehemiah Juniel; however, has earned the distinction of being the youngest graduate ever at Sam Houston State University (SHSU) in Huntsville, Houston NBC affiliate KPRC reported.

The station reported that SHSU, which is about 70 miles north of Houston, will confer Juniel his bachelor’s degree in health sciences next month.

According to a university-issued press release, Juniel developed an extreme interest in learning which led to him studying pre-algebra – a subject usually taught in middle school – at age 5 and finishing community college eight years later.

The release said that Juniel grew up in a family of six children and was homeschooled by his parents.

His mother, Corrie, said in the release that SHSU was an excellent choice because the institution went the extra mile to aid in the transition into university life.

Juniel, who hopes to become a cardiologist, admitted that the college experience has had its challenges.

“The biggest challenge was staying focused,” he said in the release. “It was especially difficult when the course material was uninteresting or something I already knew. I often needed encouragement from others to put effort into such work before I put myself back on track again. My professors and teaching assistants were the most positive aspect of my experience at SHSU.”

According to the teen, the release said, he was 8 years old when he decided that his future was in health care.

“As I grew, I continued to change and specify what kind of career I wanted to pursue,” Juniel said, per the university. “This culminated into my decision to study cardiology.”

He encourages those who experience setbacks to continue moving forward.

“Don’t get discouraged if you run into a few issues or if you fail a couple of times,” Juniel said in the release. “As long as you keep trying, you will eventually reach your goal.”

It’s that mentality that was passed down along his bloodline.

“‘Can’t,’ was like a curse word in our house,” Father Raphael told KPRC. “That came from my grandfather.”