From Texas Roots to Global Impact

Alena’s story begins in the heart of Texas, just outside Fort Worth, where she was adopted as an infant. By age three, she was already reading textbooks with a passionate curiosity that would define her extraordinary path. But her journey wasn’t without challenges. When bullying forced her out of public school at age 7, and a principal cruelly suggested she wouldn’t achieve all A’s because of her skin color, many might have been discouraged. Not Alena.

Instead, this setback became the fuel for her determination. At age 9, she traveled to Jordan with her mother, where she witnessed firsthand the power of education and compassion. Working in refugee camps, teaching children music and reading, Alena discovered her calling to serve others and break down barriers for underrepresented communities.

By age 12, she had completed both middle school and high school simultaneously and graduated, but this was just the beginning of her record-breaking achievements.

Making History at NASA

While most 12-year-olds are navigating middle school social dynamics, Alena was making history as the youngest person to work for NASA. Her internship at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, California, wasn’t just a summer job — it was a dream realized and a barrier broken.

Working alongside women who looked like her inspired her to do even more, and this experience at NASA became the catalyst for her next groundbreaking venture.

The Brown STEM Girl Revolution

At the same age when many young people are figuring out their first part-time jobs, Alena launched the Brown STEM Girl Foundation — a movement that has already transformed hundreds of lives. With 500 active members and 2,000 on a waitlist, this isn’t just another student organization; it’s a powerful force for change.

The foundation’s impact is staggering:

• Over $100,000 in STEM scholarships provided locally and abroad
• Life-changing trips for young women of color, including taking 30 girls to Singapore’s Art and Science Museum in 2021
• The “Dorm Room Makeover” program provides essentials and scholarships to students facing financial hardships, foster care situations, or homelessness
• Rigorous mentorship programs that are changing the trajectory of young lives

Inspired by Katherine Johnson, Alena created more than an organization — she built a movement that proves girls of color can achieve anything they set their minds to.

Academic Excellence Redefined

Alena’s academic journey reads like something from science fiction. She earned her Master’s in Biological Sciences from Arizona State University in May 2024, at the age of 15, after initially starting as an engineering student before falling in love with biology.

Her pivot to healthcare came from witnessing real-life healthcare disparities during her time in Jordan. Working with the ASU Student Outbreak Response Team during the COVID-19 pandemic, investigating and responding to the spread of the virus in Arizona, helped her realize her passion for global health.

However, perhaps her most groundbreaking achievement came in 2022: her acceptance to the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Heersink School of Medicine at the age of 13, making her the youngest Black person ever accepted into medical school in the United States.

The Future is Now

Currently, Alena is pursuing her PhD in Integrated Biological Sciences, focusing on cancer immunology and virology, with a specific focus on ovarian cancer research. Her goal is to work towards finding a cure.

But she’s not stopping there. Alena is also:

• Earning her pilot’s license with dreams of flying solo across the world
• Pursuing her Ed.D. at Columbia Southern University, focusing on Curriculum and Instruction
• Making history again as the youngest ever member of a D9 sorority, joining Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. in Spring 2025
  And yes, she still dreams of going to space.

Wisdom Beyond Her Years

When asked about her success, Alena’s advice resonates with the wisdom of someone who has faced challenges head-on and emerged victorious:

“Keep going,” she told ASU News. “School or life isn’t a race to the finish line. Never compare yourself with the next person. Focus on you and your end goal, and let that be a reminder whenever you get tired to keep going.”

Her message to those facing obstacles is equally powerful: “Never let people tell you no,” she said in an interview with USA Today. “It’s not always going to look glamorous. You have to get down, deep in the dirt and do it. Do the work. Keep going. Don’t let people tell you what you can’t do and silence out the noise around you. Keep the main thing the main thing.”

A Legacy in the Making

What makes Alena’s story so compelling isn’t just the records she’s broken or the degrees she’s earned — it’s her unwavering commitment to lifting others as she climbs. From refugee camps in Jordan to research labs studying cancer, from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab to medical school classrooms, she carries with her a mission that extends far beyond personal achievement.

Alena Analeigh McQuarter embodies the truth that age is just a number when purpose drives action. She’s not waiting for her turn to change the world — she’s changing it right now, one barrier broken, one life inspired, one impossibility made possible at a time.

In a world that often tells young people to wait, Alena’s message is clear: The future belongs to those bold enough to seize it today. And judging by her trajectory, the best is yet to come.

Crediting her success to her excellent time management skills and discipline, Alena spends her free time playing sports, swimming, and singing, proving that even world-changers need time to just be teenagers.