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Maxwell teen graduates college, sisters following in footsteps

  • Published
  • By Jon Sladek
  • Air University Public Affairs
MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (AFPN) --  U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Denver at the age of 19. Hannah Harding, daughter of Officer Training School instructor Capt. Kitchener Harding, may be wondering what took her so long.

The 17-year-old officially received her Bachelor of Science degree from Auburn University at Montgomery recently, making her the youngest graduate in the school's 36-year history.

While most teenagers her age are selecting universities to attend in the fall, Hannah has already selected a graduate school -- California State University-East Bay.

"I was a little tired after last semester (at AUM), but I've had such a long break I'm ready and excited to start my graduate program," she said. "Otherwise I'd get bored and play solitaire all day."

Her younger sisters, Rosannah, 15, and Serennah, 14, already follow in their big sister's footsteps attending college at young ages.

All three sisters were home-schooled by their mother. Hannah and Rosannah were eligible for college at age 13 after passing the California High School Proficiency Examination.

By the time Serennah was old enough, the family was stationed here, forcing her to take a different route.

"I had to score high enough on the SAT to be accepted at AUM," she said.

"Every once in awhile a jaw will drop," said Captain Harding, explaining his co-workers' reaction to his daughters' accomplishments. "I get a lot of questions."

One question is whether the girls are taking on too much at a young age.

"I'd rather be guilty of pushing too much than not enough," he said. "But the key is allowing them to chase their own dreams."

Each daughter has pursued her own dream, embarking on different areas of study. While Hannah will stick with mathematics in graduate school, Rosannah is majoring in agriculture at Auburn University, and Serennah is a premedical major at AUM who plans to become a pediatrician.

With a permanent change of station on the horizon, all three sisters will attend new schools in the fall, close to their new home in northern California.

Hannah will begin graduate school at CSU-EB. Rosannah will continue with agriculture at California College of the Arts in San Francisco, and Serennah will transfer her medical studies to Santa Clara University. The younger sisters expect to earn bachelor's degrees before they are old enough to vote.

According to Hannah, the sisters have not had much trouble integrating into a college atmosphere at such a young age.

"I've been able to meet a lot of friends on campus from different backgrounds and places," she said.

"We have had a really positive response," Rosannah said. "Most people are like, 'wow' and then they want to know our story."

As Hannah moves on to the next stage of her education, she still remembers how she got where she is today. She said when she was little and wanted to play, she had to do her schoolwork first.

"That was what helped us (get ahead)," she said.

Captain Harding said he feels blessed to have such overachieving children.

"It is not a matter of genetics," he said. "If you just love your children and treat them as adults, they will not just meet your expectations, but their own expectations." (Courtesy of Air Education and Training Command News Service)