Nicholas Johnson, a Canadian student specializing in operational research and financial engineering, has been appointed promotion major for Princeton 2020, the university said in a statement.
"It gives me power. Being the first Princeton Black Valedictorian is of particular importance to me, given Princeton's historic ties to the institution of slavery," Johnson told CNN. "I hope this success motivates and inspires young black students, especially those interested in STEM fields."
The favorite memories of graduates at school were those spent with "close friends and classmates engaged in stimulating discussions - often late at night - about our beliefs, cultures and the environments in which we were raised, the 'State of the world and the way we plan on contributing positively to our unique way,' said Johnson in the school press release.
He also said he appreciated the university for encouraging him to explore his interests by supporting him with international internships and cultural immersion trips to Peru, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom.
Johnson's main thesis focused on the development of algorithms to design a preventive community health intervention to reduce obesity in Canada.
A member of the Princeton section of Engineers Without Borders, Johnson also worked as a machine learning software engineer at Google headquarters in California during his time at Princeton.
Johnson also has a lot to expect. This summer, he will do an internship as a hybrid quantitative researcher and software developer at the D.E. Shaw Group, a global investment and technology development company.
In the fall, Johnson will begin his doctorate. Operations research studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Although the coronavirus pandemic canceled Princeton's in-person graduation ceremony, the school is still hosting a virtual one on May 31.
Johnson told CNN that it was "disappointing" not to be able to celebrate in class together in person this year. However, he said he was grateful to the administration for its commitment "to host a face-to-face course for my class in the spring of 2021 to celebrate our accomplishments."
"I was comforted to see how my friends and classmates have adapted to these difficult times," he said, "and I ensured that the strong community of Princeton practically persisted. despite our physical separation from each other. "
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