At the age of 19, Quinn Pertuit will graduate magna cum laude on May 3, at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, making him the youngest graduate in the history of the University. Mr. Pertuit will be graduating with a bachelor of science degree in management and will begin his master's program in the fall.

For a lot of college students, obtaining a four-year college degree is considered as a very big achievement, especially in the rather tough economy these days. In the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where Pertuit will be graduating, the four-year graduation rate is only 13%, which means that there are only 13 percent of students graduating within four years and surprisingly, only 38% graduate within six years. It is unheard of for a student to graduate within three years and at the very young age of 19. In fact, the average age of UTC seniors is 26; but Mr. Pertuit said, “The quality of my work and the way I present myself suppresses the age difference.

The Office of Planning, Evaluation & Institutional Research revealed that Mr. Pertuit will also be the youngest graduate student at UTC if he will attend the university for his master’s education. However, it is of note that Mr. Pertuit does not intend to attend UTC for graduate school.

“Pertuit is a very diligent student,” said one of his professors at the University. Mr. Pertuit also said that he was dedicated to his education, and now, all his efforts and hard work have paid off. He was very excited and he is looking forward to what the future awaits him.

Since he was admitted in college, Mr. Pertuit has always been on the dean’s list every semester and was awarded the 2013-2014 Outstanding Senior Award this year. His internship has also helped obtain more knowledge in the field. According to Mr. Pertuit, “They have been great to me, and I’ve gained experience that is essential and complimentary to my studies.” Apart from that, Mr. Pertuit is taking a case team to Orlando with the University’s Society for the Advancement of Management.

“Quinn definitely carries a level of maturity and professionalism that is far beyond his age,” UTC student Tim Baker said. Indeed, Mr. Pertuit serves as an inspiration to many students of the university and college students throughout the world.

While in college, Mr. Pertuit also joined in several student organizations that helped him obtain more experiences and become a competent student leader. Mr. Pertuit even said that college experience is actually more than just achieving excellence; it is also about being involved in internships, projects, student organizations and work experiences.