"My high school had a lot of challenges and problems with gang violence and interracial tensions," Moore of San Carlos, Calif., said Saturday.
In addition, Moore's older brother had been involved in gang activity, and when rival gangs found out she was his younger sister it "made high school a living nightmare," she said.
While Moore, 23, got good grades her freshman year of high school, she began skipping classes her sophomore year.
"I realized somewhere between freshman and sophomore year was the first time I didn't want to go back to school," she said.
She said her sophomore English teacher told her she would never go to college.
That same year, Moore's guidance counselor suggested an option that would keep Moore's dream of attending college alive. Moore would enroll at a local community college, and would take courses there and two courses at the high school simultaneously each semester.
At the age of 15, Moore became a college student.
Eight years later, she graduated from a four-year liberal arts college -- Williams College -- with a bachelor's degree in psychology.
"For four years I didn't think I would graduate from high school. I told myself if I graduated from high school and made it through all this, I would just have to do the best I could in college," Moore said.
She
"It seems really surreal, but I'm so excited. I can't believe in a couple of months I'll be enrolled in the University of Cambridge going for a Ph.D," she said.
While Moore graduated from high school in the spring of 2004 -- after taking 13 courses her final semester -- she continued taking college courses, but decided to spend some time in Paris during that winter.
Upon returning, she enrolled back in community college and became an international vice president of Phi Theta Kappa, which is a national honor society for two-year colleges.
"Throughout the year the experience clarified that I wanted to go to a liberal arts college, and I wanted a small atmosphere," she said.
Through Phi Theta Kappa she discovered transfer agreements with Wellesley College and Cornell University, and in between those two schools location-wise was Williams College.
"I knew Williams College had a special student program and an amazing neuroscience program, and that is what I wanted to do," she said. "I fell in love with the school immediately."
In 2006, Moore moved to Williamstown, and began the process of convincing college officials she should attend Williams College.
The Registrar and Admissions offices let her take one class in the fall of 2006, and audit two. She did well enough academically that in the spring she took two classes and audited one.
Moore was then accepted for the fall 2007 semester as a matriculated student.
"When I filled out the transfer packet, it was the only school I applied to. Thank goodness they let me in," she said.
Besides being a student, Moore has been an active member in the college community founding a chapter of the Roosevelt Institution, which is a nationwide student think-tank that focuses on bipartisan public policy issues.
She also worked with college officials and the board of trustees to create the Center for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement, which is an umbrella organization for all student organizations.
With the economic recession, funding wasn't able to be secured for the center, but Moore is hopeful efforts at the college will continue until funding is found.
Moore, who graduated magna cum laude, received the William Bradford Turner Citizenship Prize at the Williams College's 220th Commencement for her efforts.
With a Dr. Herchel Smith Fellowship from the college in hand, Moore will travel to England to continue her education where she hopes to get a doctorate degree in neuroscience. After that, she wants to come back to the United States and get a master's degree in public policy.
Ultimately, Moore hopes to work in science and technology public policy.
"I'll be forever grateful to this place," she said of Williams College.
To reach Meghan Foley, e-mail mfoley@thetranscript.com.
Font Resize
