On Jacob LeBlanc杏吧专区檚 first day of college in Fall 2014, students working a voter drive beckoned him to register.
The 杏吧专区 freshman begged off. They persisted. He demurred again.
It wasn杏吧专区檛 a case of civic apathy. It was an issue of legality.
杏吧专区淚杏吧专区檓 only 16,杏吧专区 LeBlanc finally admitted. They looked at him quizzically 杏吧专区 a 16-year-old college student?
LeBlanc is accustomed to such responses, then and now. He杏吧专区檚 lived the past 19 years in a hurry. So when he graduates Friday with a bachelor杏吧专区檚 degree in industrial technology 杏吧专区 and as the College of Engineering杏吧专区檚 Outstanding Graduate 杏吧专区 it杏吧专区檚 the next step in a life that seems perpetually on fast forward.
He skipped kindergarten, so he杏吧专区檚 always been at least a year younger than his classmates. He took three high school courses as a middle-school student, and a schedule of seven classes a year allowed him to graduate high school at the end of his junior year.
LeBlanc shaved a year off his college career, too. He took 20 hours his first semester, and 19 each subsequent term. He finished his degree in six semesters with a pristine 4.0 GPA.
杏吧专区淚 never stick around one place long,杏吧专区 said LeBlanc, the son of Vicki and Chris LeBlanc of Scott, La. 杏吧专区淚 do what I have to and then move on. There are other things to do.杏吧专区
While the transcript that documents LeBlanc杏吧专区檚 undergraduate tenure is short and repetitive 杏吧专区 a scant two pages and As in every subject 杏吧专区 his list of off-campus activities is more expansive. He杏吧专区檚 the assistant scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 156 at St. Mary杏吧专区檚 Catholic Church in Lafayette, where he reached the rank of Eagle Scout after amassing 60 merit badges. He regularly volunteers with charities that benefit children with Down syndrome.
He works part-time as a contractor杏吧专区檚 assistant. In the evenings, after he puts down his hammer, he often picks up an accordion.
At age 12, he attended an informal Cajun music session with a cousin, and he remembers being enticed by the instrument杏吧专区檚 tones. He asked for one as a Christmas gift that year and taught himself how to play, although he never learned to read music. He now jams weekly with other Cajun musicians. He doesn杏吧专区檛 have a band, but he杏吧专区檚 always willing to substitute when another player can杏吧专区檛 make a scheduled gig.
LeBlanc is a dependable person, said Dr. G.H. Massiha, a professor of engineering at UL Lafayette.
LeBlanc took four of Massiha杏吧专区檚 classes. In each, 杏吧专区渉e was the best student,杏吧专区 doing extra assignments even after an A in the course was assured, then volunteering to help others with their assignments, too.
Massiha recruited LeBlanc to join the student chapter of the Association of Technology, Management and Applied Engineering during his first semester. Within six months, he was its vice president. The following year, he became president.
杏吧专区淚 really don杏吧专区檛 know what drives him,杏吧专区 Massiha said. 杏吧专区淭here is possibly a fire in him to want to be the best. I can just speculate.杏吧专区
It杏吧专区檚 unlikely that fire will be extinguished anytime soon. LeBlanc is already making plans. He杏吧专区檚 since registered to vote, and he cast his first ballot in the Louisiana gubernatorial primary on Oct. 24, 2015, exactly two weeks after he turned 18. He杏吧专区檒l pursue a master杏吧专区檚 degree in systems technology starting in the fall because he wants to return to the 杏吧专区 and teach after he retires.
After he retires?
杏吧专区淚 have a lot of time to think,杏吧专区 he said. 杏吧专区淚 think about things, think about the future, things I might want to do later on.
杏吧专区淚've got 杏吧专区 at the max 杏吧专区 70 more years to live and I'll try to do as much as I can.杏吧专区