U.S. Air Force Lieutenant and Florida A&M University graduate Briona Carswell will make history as the first student from Florida A&M set to graduate from the new Department of Materials Science and Engineering. This department is a partnership between both Florida A&M and Florida State University’s College of Engineering.

“I’m just grateful for the opportunity, honestly,” Carswell said. “I wouldn’t have gotten here without friends and family and mentors both inside and outside of the Air Force, so that’s honestly how I’m standing here today.”

Carswell finished in less than two years, having already graduated as a military officer and a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. The Florida A&M and Florida State combined campus is about 10 minutes away from Florida A&M. Because Carswell took a class at Florida State, she was allowed to visit all three campuses to complete the program.

Carswell studied plastics and their degradation in class. According to her, engineers are creating new plastics that will decompose, but most of the polymers used now do not. She claims that when she rejoins the Air Force, her understanding of how things melt and how to conduct research will make her a better officer.

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“And how different things melt, process, and any sort of fabrication process we’ll be doing in the Air Force,” said Carswell.

Carswell isn’t the first person in her family to attend an HBCU. Some of her family is connected to Tuskegee University in addition to several other HBCUs. She also says that she knew that higher education has always been a goal of hers. However, immediately after she takes the stage to graute on Saturday, she is called to military duty. Carwell’s latest military assignment will be sending her to Dayton, Ohio. Other Florida colleges that graduate this weekend include Florida State, Florida A&M, Valdosta State University, and Tallahassee State College.

“It’s truly an honor that I got to be the first… I’m very lucky that I had that opportunity, and I just hope it inspires more people to come here and pursue the degree,” Carswell said.