2024 Great Grads: Saeed Dupree

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Saeed Dupree is a scholar-athlete with an emphasis on “scholar.” The Biology and Chemistry double major is the Class of 2024 valedictorian.

“I didn’t know there were rankings in high school,” he said. “So, I set the goal of being the valedictorian in college. I still can’t believe it; it hasn’t set in yet.”

Dupree, like all of the graduates of the Class of 2024, didn’t get to walk across the stage for their high school diplomas due to risks associated with COVID-19. Stay-at-home orders kept the Class of 2024 from meeting in person for an entire year. Dupree, an only child, said he discovered his love for science while he was home alone.

Throughout his time at JCSU, Dupree has become a member of the Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society, the National Organization for the Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers, the American Chemical Society, the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society and the MAPs Club. Additionally, he has completed nine research projects, three of which have been published in various publications, and interned with Atrium Health, where he had the opportunity to see skilled surgeons at work.

Dupree has also presented research at several conferences and workshops, including the Emerging Researchers, American Society of Gravitation Space Research and American Chemical Society Conferences, among others.

He says his most memorable moments were found in the classroom, where he studying Cellulose Nano-fibers, and outside of the classroom on the Track and Field team. He said his coaches were a big support in his effort to be a scholar first.

“My coaches understood my goals and trusted me enough to know I would still work out and make every meet,” he said. “They trusted me to keep my grades up and encouraged me to work out in the mornings. They even let me miss a couple of practices because I had classes during those time.”

Dupree said he couldn’t have reached his goal of becoming the valedictorian without the help of God; his mother, Colleen Johnson; his father, Steven Dupree; his aunts, April Pryor and Nia Moore; his grandmothers, Rose Dupree and Tina Moore; his cousin Naeem Moore-Jarmon; his girlfriend and fellow graduate, Delaney Hill; and all his other friends and family.

He also thanked Drs. Tracey Brown-Fox, Tim Champion, Thanh-Thuy Nguyen, Roslyn Reid and Brian Hunt. He also thanked his off-campus mentors, Dr. David Jacobs and Dr. JeCoy Hawley.

Dupree plans to continue his education to become a primary care physician. He says he hopes to be a doctor so he can aid in reducing health disparities among African-American patients and communities.

“I’ve learned there’s something to be learned from every opportunity that’s taken,” he said. “There are a lot of opportunities on campus and, even if it may be something you don’t like, if you can try it out and be open-minded, you might just get something great out of it.”