Tisha Ricketts
Shaquille Hall is 20 years old, some would say he is not your typical young Bahamian male. But there are many young men like Hall living in Bahamas who are hardworking and ambitious. Perhaps the story of Shaquille Hall will convince you that there is still hope for Bahamian youth.
Hall had a vision, a goal. He knew that in order to achieve success in life he had to strive for excellence and a scholarship was one way that he could attend a good school and take the financial burden from his parents shoulder. In 2013 he landed a scholarship to Morehouse College in Atlanta, United States pursuing a major in computer science.
On the first day of college, Shaquille set the bar high. He achieved a 3.95 grade point average his first semester. That same year he was recommended by his professors to apply for a 2014 winter course at Google. Then in 2015 he applied in 2015 for a paid internship and as he must have impress the people at Google because in the summer of 2016, Hall will return to Google.
The future computer scientist, whose focus is cyber security, said the opportunity to intern at Google on what is to be the third consecutive year is surreal.
This young Bahamian has a vision, he has a goal and his story is truly an inspiration to all of us. I am proud of you Shaquille. You are a perfect example of the positive things happening in Bahamas, a truly amazing story that lifts up the Caribbean.
I would like to end this with some words from Shaquille Hall (ShaquilleHall Personal Website)
I grew up in the Bahamas, so I will always have a love for beaches, warm weather and a sweet bowl of conch salad. But I believe that life can be a playground. So, whether it’s finding new hiking trails to explore, new restaurants to try, or even just new kinds of music to appreciate, I’m constantly seeking new things to explore, and nothing’s better than doing this with friends.
Well done my fellow Bahamian, your future is bright!
