MISD ALUM IS TEXAS TECH’ S YOUNGEST GRADUATE
At just 18 years old, Simon Onditi is already preparing to apply to medical school. Onditi graduated from Texas Tech University in December 2024 and is one of the youngest students to ever earn a bachelor’ s degree from the university.
“ It was really shocking because I knew it was unlikely for many people my age to graduate, but I didn’ t think I would be the youngest at my graduation,” Onditi said.
He finished high school in three years and entered college as a junior, thanks to the associate degree he earned while attending Mansfield ISD’ s Early College High School at Timberview.
“ Mansfield ISD has everything to do with it,” said Calvin Onditi, Simon’ s father.“ If I had to give advice to parents out there, I would say MISD has a lot of opportunities. You have the power to choose. You have to sacrifice some things, but at the end of the day, you reap the benefits.”
Onditi said he knew at age 12 that he wanted to become a doctor. He still has the note he wrote to himself as part of a middle school assignment, where he declared he would one day be an anesthesiologist.
“ I remember seeing the job details and thinking that being able to comfort people during surgeries and properly administer anesthesia was something that would be a good fit for me. That’ s why I chose it,” Onditi said.
As he studies for the Medical College Admission Test, Onditi said he is grateful for the teachers he had in MISD and how they prepared him for college.
13 MANSFIELDTODAY