11-Year Old Black Student Receives Full Scholarship to Attend an HBCU

National — At just 11-years old, Elijah Precciely is already an inventor and an author. Even more, at such a young age, he will be a full-time student next spring at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana… and he’s on a full-ride scholarship!

His mother, Pamela Preccciely, shared that the opportunity came when she reached out to Dr. Diola Bagayoko, who is in the university’s Physics department. She said Elijah was building inventions at home and needed some lab space. The professor then encouraged Elijah to sit in on his classes. He was 8 years old when he started taking biology, physics, and business classes at Southern University.

“I appreciate that the staff never turned him away with his questions,” Elijah’s mother told The Advocate.

Elijah’s family first noticed his excellent skills when he was a baby. At 18-months old, his teachers suggested he be accelerated to a higher level. At the age of three, he was curious and he kept asking his mom about the human anatomy and how taxes work.

By five years old, he had already preached his first sermon and guested at a local radio show where he now has a weekly segment. Aside from having several patents, he has also authored a book entitled “Mission Christian: God’s Got Firsts!” which he said teaches that if a person knows that they are loved, they can do great things.

Find that child’s genius, what they like, and nurture that even if you have to seek outside help, then that’s what you do and that’s what we did,” Elijah’s dad, Stephen Precciely, said.

As a full-time sophomore student at Southern University, Elijah plans to study physics and mechanical engineering next spring.

Southern University President Ray Belton welcomed him and announced, “We are pleased to offer Elijah Precciely the J.S. Clark Presidential Scholar award. As a J.S. Clark Scholar, he will engage in research and other scholarly activities as part of the honors college.”