Alena Wicker, who will major in chemistry and astronomical and planetary science at Arizona State University, will enter college at the age of barely twelve.

She wants to work as an engineer for NASA. Because I’ve always like construction, I’ve always wanted to be an engineer, Alena said when asked about her desire to work for NASA.

She had been building Lego structures the size of NASA since she was 4 years old, and it had always been her ambition.

Her mother, Daphne McQuarter, remarked, “She just had a passion for math, Lego, and science so I started nurturing that skill.”

Alena started following that desire after she graduated high school through homeschooling and will begin taking studies at ASU this summer.

She anticipates graduating from college at the age of 16. I’ll be driving in one of those future space mobiles by the time that I graduate college,”

Alena said, adding that she wants to build rovers that could be sent to other planets as well.

A podcast about her adventure will be launched on Alena’s Facebook page, where she is also quite active.

“I’m simply making plans as I go. No matter your age or your plans, it doesn’t matter. Dream big, then go for it, she advised.