14-year-old becomes youngest graduate of Santa Clara University and snags job with SpaceX
Santa Clara, CA - Santa Clara University will hold its 172nd commencement ceremony on Saturday, and one graduate already has a job lined up before he is old enough to drive a car.
Although Kairan Quazi is part of the class of 2023, he is also ahead of the class — and in a class of his own.
"Someone’s texting me?," he said excitedly on a late spring day outside Heafey Hall. "No, it’s my friend," he continued, a hint of disappointment in his voice.
The 14-year-old is just like all the other students, except his IQ puts him in the 99.9% of intelligence. As a result, he and his parents knew fourth grade would not follow his completion of third.
"When I was in regular school it really was hell for me. Because I think you really have to imagine being trapped for years on end in compulsory education. And I wasn’t learning at the level that I needed," he said.
So, Kairan bolted the traditional route and by age nine, he was attending Santa Clara University and majoring in computer science.
"At first when he started here he was like 11. And I was like, whoa, how am I gonna deal with a kid like that?," said Dr. Nam Ling, chairman of the SCU Department of Computer Engineering.
Ling soon learned that the "whiz kid" had computer science chops. Kairan eventually took graduate-level courses alongside Ph.D. candidates.
"He’s actually very sociable. He’s very easy to get along (with). He asks a lot of questions, makes the class so lively and stimulating," said Ling.
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As the Kairan prepares to take the stage in three days as part of the class of 2023 commencement ceremony, he is also getting ready to join the workforce. At age 14, he has snagged a full-time job with SpaceX in Seattle.
He plans to move to Washington State with his mother.
"It’s the first time I’ll ever be living outside of California. So it’s a big change and I’m really interested in that. I actually do have a lot of friends who are also moving to Seattle," said Kairan.
The next phase of life means leaving behind some close friends and the only life he’s known.
Kairan's friends now call him Rocket Man, as he is poised for lift off into a brave new world he’ll likely help redefine.
"I’m very happy that I started college, and now I’m a graduate," he said.
Kairan is taking summer vacation with his family, before he reporting for work at SpaceX at the end of July.
Jesse Gary is a reporter based in the station's South Bay bureau. Follow him on Twitter, @JesseKTVU and Instagram, @jessegontv.