She Became the Youngest Black Person Accepted Into Medical School at 13, Now at 16 She’s a Soror of Sigma Gamma Rho

Alena Analeigh McQuarter, a trailblazer in science and medicine, made history at 13-years-old as the youngest Black person ever accepted into medical school in the United States. This spring, at 16-year-old, she became a proud Spring 2025 initiate of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. through the Lambda Nu Sigma Alumnae Chapter in Toronto, Canada.

Born in 2008 in Fontana, California and raised near Fort Worth, Texas, Alena has consistently defied expectations. After graduating high school at just 12 years old, she attended Arizona State University, originally majoring in astronomical and planetary science and chemistry. Her career goal was to become a NASA engineer, an ambition she pursued by interning at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, becoming the youngest person ever to hold an internship there.

Her focus shifted to medicine after a transformative trip to Jordan with her nonprofit, Brown STEM Girl. Moved by global health disparities, she pivoted to pre-med with a particular interest in viral immunology. In 2022, the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Heersink School of Medicine offered her early acceptance through the Burroughs Wellcome Scholars Early Assurance Program.

But Alena’s impact extends far beyond her academic achievements. As the founder of Brown STEM Girl, she has created a platform dedicated to supporting girls of color in science, technology, engineering, and math through scholarships, mentorships, and international study opportunities.

Her groundbreaking work has earned her national and international recognition, including:

• Forbes 30 Under 30 (Nominee, 2021)
• TIME and Nickelodeon’s Kid of the Year (Finalist, 2022)
• Global Child Prodigy Awards – World in Science (Recipient, 2022)
• President’s Volunteer Service Lifetime Achievement Award (Recipient, 2022)
• Ebony HBCU STEM Queen (Recipient, 2022)

Now, as a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., Alena Analeigh McQuarter continues to exemplify the principles of sisterhood, scholarship, and service, breaking barriers and building futures.