Early-teen prodigy set to graduate from Santa Clara University
SANTA CLARA -- Kairan Quazi will make history on Saturday as the youngest person to graduate from Santa Clara University in the school's more than 170-year history. The 14-year-old boy will complete his bachelor's degree in computer science and engineering in three years then go to work at SpaceX.
"I started speaking in full sentences at two years old," Quazi explained. "I think it really came to a head in third grade when I think it became painfully obvious to myself, my parents and my teachers that third grade wasn't for me."
After the third grade, Quazi went to community college and studied mathematics for two years before he enrolled at Santa Clara University at age 11.
"It's been the most exciting three years of my life," he told KPIX weeks before graduation.
For the university, faculty and staff navigated uncharted territory. Teaching a student so young meant working around certain restrictions: for example, Quazi wasn't able to live in the college dorms because he is under 16. His mother would drive him to campus.
And professors had to adjust their approach.
"I've never had such a young student before. I've had some very talented students but not at that age," said Professor Nam Ling, chair of the Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering at SCU. "It's not just teaching him -- I actually learned a lot about how to deal with a kid that has the talent way above his peers."
Preparing for graduation like any other college student in their final year, Quazi started looking for a job. He decided to accept a position with SpaceX working with Starlink to improve Internet access in remote places around the world.
"I think one of the reasons SpaceX and specifically Starlink really was interesting to me was because of the broader applications of that technology," he explained.
But finding a job brought its own challenges as many companies looking for software engineers were unsure how to consider a candidate of his age.
"I think a lot of other companies when I first met with the recruiters, they were very perplexed I think by my situation and came in thinking 'No'," Quazi recalled. "But the recruiter I met at SpaceX, he was super nice, and he was really excited I think about my situation and my background."
Even after making history and preparing for a career that reaches for the stars before he can even drive a car, the sky is still not the limit for Quazi. He can already imagine where he might be further along in his career with so many eagerly awaiting what the future holds for him.
"I think I want to eventually found a startup and work on problems that I think can really help humanity," he said.