The only competition for Salenah Cartier is herself!

Salenah Cartier is reportedly the youngest graduate from the University of Houston (UH) for the second year in a row. She was only 17-years-old when she made history as the youngest graduate from UH, where she earned a degree in psychology and business. Now, Salenah Cartier has done it again after receiving her master’s of education in curriculum and instruction from the college of education.

Made For Success

As previously reported by AfroTech, Cartier has been homeschooled since the sixth grade after facing bullying from her peers due to her high-level academic successes. During her preteen years, she enrolled in a self-paced homeschooling program, which allowed her to sail through her studies at her own pace. Before she knew it, Cartier was graduating from high school at age 14.

“I often wondered ‘why me?’ Why was I always being picked on? Why did I have to switch schools? But, looking back I understand why it was me,” Cartier shared in a post on Instagram. “Sometimes you have to go through experiences to build perspective and character. I can truly say that those terrible experiences pushed me to always work the hardest, always seek new ventures, and to always remain grateful for what I currently have. Everyone told me that things would get better eventually, and I never believed them. Well, thankfully, I was wrong.”

The Second Time Around

When Cartier first enrolled in UH, most of her classmates didn’t know that she was so young.

“No one knew how old I was,” she revealed in an interview with ABC13. “Actually, no one knew. So I was able to blend in. I made quite a few friends. I believe my college experience was pretty normal actually.”

Last year, she received her degree virtually due to the pandemic, but this time around was different.

“While I was recognized last year as the youngest graduate for my bachelor’s degree, the graduation took place online,” she continued in the post. “Being in person this year was a surreal experience.”

Cartier not only achieved her goal but maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout the program