African American student becomes first on record to receive Bachelor's in Nuclear Engineering

Graduating Purdue students are finding ways to celebrate their success in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

News 18 shares the story of one man who achieved a first in the school's 151 year history

Studene eir success in the middle ofe ce story of one man who achieved a first in the school's 151 year history ll intro: 23-year- old jalen rice didn't have the opportunity to walk across the stage for graduation due to covid-19.

But he's relishing in his accomplishments and the start of a new chapter.

"i am a nuclear engineer."

With purdue closing its campus and moving all classes to an online format rice says this unique circumstance became more and more challenging "these final classes were just really, really hard not having that one on one with professors."

(with hard work and dedication rice pushed through and managed to graduate and become the first african american on record from purdue university to graduate with a bachelor's degree in nuclear engineering.

"it feels weird.

I feel like this should have happened twenty- years ago."

2-months ago rice asked the university how many other african americans received this degree.

"around my junior year i decided i wanted to reach out to alumni and figure out if there were any of us out there that i could talk to about jobs, job advice, applying."

He says it's uplifting during this time knowing that after trial and error he accomplished something he had his mind set on.

"i want kids everywhere to understand that you can always hold on to those dreams..."

Rice has (held on to his (dream since he was a toddler.

"i've been through a lot, five years of college and ever since i was three-years-old i wanted to be an nasa astronaut.

So i am still trying to be an nasa astronaut."

Ll outro: jalen says he hasn't decided whether or not he is going to further his education and apply for graduate school.

But until then he is applying for jobs.

At purdue university, marvin bills news 18.

Jalen also plans to have a small celebration with his family in indianapolis.

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