Christiansburg native, 17, will receive his degree from Roanoke College

Salem, Virginia – Luke Coburn is getting ready to receive his Bachelor of Arts in Public Health Studies from Roanoke College at a time when most youngsters are finishing up their high school education.

The 17-year-old will graduate from the Salem school on Saturday morning after four years of attendance.

“I’m really excited. A lot of my family is coming down, a huge crowd as it turns out,” Coburn told WDBJ7 Friday afternoon.

The hometown of Coburn is Christiansburg. At the age of 13, he made the decision to pursue further education after being homeschooled.

He enrolled full-time at Roanoke College following two semesters of trial study and the taking of the SAT.

“I think I was more worried about the social aspect, and I think my parents were too, because I mean, literal child – full-grown adults, it’s kind of a different atmosphere, but I mean I guess it all worked out. I mean here I am,” he said.

Coburn claimed that although it wasn’t always simple, he relished his time at Roanoke College.

“I really like how it was a personal environment where you got to know your professors intimately,” Coburn said.

He started looking for tutoring after taking a chemistry course, and eventually he paid the favor by becoming a tutor himself by teaching statistics. Among his fondest recollections of his time at Roanoke College is his involvement with the Subject Tutoring Program.

“It’s going to be very, very weird, not to have school to come back to anymore, especially this school,” Coburn said. “It’s kind of like a third home I guess now at this point. So, it’s going to be a culture shock I guess to not be coming back here anymore.”

What follows then? With the intention of enrolling in law school in the autumn of 2025, Coburn intends to spend the summer preparing for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).