Demetria Coley has made history as the youngest graduate of the Florida State University (FSU) College of Nursing, finishing the program at 18 years old. Coley is humble about her history-making achievement; while she is proud to be the youngest FSU nursing school graduate, the title isn’t something she focuses on.
“I’m just glad that I’m able to walk across the stage,” Coley said in an interview with the FSView.
Coley’s academic path was accelerated from the start: she graduated from Lincoln High School and earned her Associate of Arts Degree from Tallahassee State College (TSC) in 2023 at 15 years old. Later, Coley completed two semesters of prerequisites at Florida A&M University (FAMU) before she came to FSU to pursue a nursing degree.
Challenges of attending university at a young age
Despite Coley’s academic rigor, being the youngest one in her classes proved to be socially challenging. While she was still a teenager and comfortable in her own age group, many of her classmates were in their twenties. Because she didn’t feel a connection to her much older classmates, Coley didn’t do much socializing in class, and focused on her work while on campus.
“It was just a maturity gap,” Coley said. “I don’t consider it a bad thing. I’m glad I still act my age. But it was definitely difficult when it came down to socializing and actually having a campus life.”
This did not stop Coley academically. She stayed focused on her classes, finishing her pre-requisites at FAMU in fall 2023 and spring 2024. Then, she took a semester off to regroup and plan her next steps before deciding to come to FSU for nursing in spring 2025, where she was able to continue her path towards a career in medicine.
During her academic journey, Coley also gained early exposure to healthcare settings, working for the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration and volunteering in Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare’s Emergency Department. She has also completed a preceptorship at Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies.
These experiences solidified her interest in medicine. Coley always knew it was the right path for her, but took careful consideration before she decided on nursing. Originally, the young graduate wanted to be a surgeon, but chose to pursue nursing to work with more patient-focused care.
“Surgeons fix the issue, but they don’t get to really interact with the patients as much and really take care of them as in-depth as a nurse would,” Coley said.
Coley’s motivation
Coley’s main motivation behind this achievement is her family. Her father, Demetrius Coley, is a science teacher, and serves as chair of the science department at R. Frank Nims Middle School in Tallahassee. He instilled the importance of education in Coley from a very early age. Coley also modeled herself after her late mother, Elicia Coley, who died in November 2020 from ovarian cancer.
“I decided to follow [my mother’s] footsteps, make her proud,” Coley said.
The graduate put the inspiration she gathered from her parents into action by serving as the vice president for the FSU chapter of the Esther Funds Foundation, a national nonprofit that helps prevent college dropouts by promoting purpose through student-led, faith-based programs.
A sibling rivalry also pushed her to succeed. Coley’s older sister, D’Aundra, was previously the youngest graduate of TSC at 16 years old until Demetria graduated at 15 years old.
After graduation, Coley plans to pursue Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nursing after her clinicals at Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare.
More than making history, Coley’s journey reflects her commitment to patient-centered care and the purpose that guided her to nursing.
Anna Bullock is a Staff Writer for the FSView & Florida Flambeau, the student-run, independent online news service for the FSU community. Email our staff at contact@fsview.com.
This article originally appeared on FSU News: This ‘Nole made history as FSU’s youngest College of Nursing grad
Reporting by Anna Bullock, Staff Writer, FSView / FSU News
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