President’s Scholar Norquata Allen grew up in Chattanooga, Tenn., and graduated from Girls Preparatory School.
How did you distinguish yourself in high school?
In high school I was a leader, a volunteer, an athlete and an effective student. On top of all of my schoolwork, I served as student council president my senior year and was vice president of the African-American Alliance. I founded the football club, and I ran track and played lacrosse. A lot of my time was spent doing community service. I was a member of the Girls Inc. leadership team, advocating for the empowerment of girls in our community.
What’s your major?
I am currently in aerospace engineering.
Where are you living on campus?
I live in Caldwell on west campus.
What extracurricular activities are you pursuing?
As of now, I am a member of the African-American Student Union, National Society of Black Engineers and Lambda Delta Rho, a subset of NSBE, and I am currently vice president. I plan to participate in other clubs and activities such as the Student Government Association, flag football, Greek life and fencing.
What has been your greatest accomplishment in life so far?
Showing my community that success can come with hard work. I try to set an example for young people and let them know that they really can pursue their dreams.
What has been your biggest surprise at Tech?
I believe the biggest surprise was the degree of animosity between Tech and georgia (notice the lowercase letter). My cousin attends UGA, but I was still unaware of how far back the history between the two schools went.
How have your parents handled your departure from home?
My mom misses me a lot because she texts me every day.
What’s the hardest part about life at Tech?
There are so many clubs and activities going on, but I can’t do them all.
What do you intend to do after earning your bachelor’s degree?
I would like to pursue a graduate degree.
What do you hope to accomplish while at Tech?
I want to graduate with honors and be an active and informed citizen of the Georgia Tech community. I also want to make some kind of meaningful mark on the people I meet.
What is something about you that your classmates don’t know?
When I am leaving a place for an extended amount of time, I have to hold back tears because I get attached to my friendships very easily.
What’s your favorite class so far?
Definitely calculus!!! I love my professor.
What’s your favorite place on campus?
My favorite place is OMED [Office of Minority Educational Development]. I feel so loved when I go there because I get the help I need, and I get to socialize with people who care about me and how I perform academically.
Where’s your favorite place to eat on or around campus?
I really like Junior’s Grill, but Tin Drum is pretty tasty as well.
Are you following Tech sports?
I am the ultimate sports fan. I wanted to be a varsity football player, but Tech wouldn’t recruit me.
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