July 20, 2008 — Lincoln Liburd is headed to Stanford University in Palo Alto, California this fall with a handful of honors under his high school mortarboard, including 2007 valedictorian at Gifft Hill School on St. John, and an Innovative Albert A. Sheen scholarship worth $20,000 over four years.
Liburd, 17, has ambitious plans for Stanford that include a double major in engineering and philosophy. "Engineering will provide me with a logistic approach and philosophy will provide me with a humanitarian approach," he said.
And after Stanford, he plans to get a master's degree in business administration from either Stanford or Harvard University.
He is leaving soon for California to spend time with his mother, Anna Fisher, and to participate in Stanford’s Summer Engineering Academy, a rigorous introduction to the school's engineering, math, and physical sciences programs.
Needless to say, he's excited to be heading to college.
"The college experience expands your horizons. It opens up the world, and I'll meet kids from all over the world in all shapes and sizes," he said.
Bernice Kight, who works on scholarship programs for Innovative, said the scholarships go to students who are well-rounded, have community activity, and demonstrate need.
"I went in there and was confident," Liburd said, discussing his success at getting the coveted scholarship.
A total of 76 students applied for the two available scholarships.
Liburd also received scholarship money from the 8 Tuff Miles race for finishing first in his age division several times.
Liburd was born on St. John, moved with his mother to Los Angeles before returning to St. John to live with his father, Levi Liburd, and stepmother, Angie Liburd. He has two brothers on St. John: Lennon, 1, and Lionel, 3. Brother Jabari, 17, is at boarding school. His sister Monique, 22, lives in California.
He spent the last six years at Gifft Hill School. School was easy for him, but he said his good work ethic contributed to his success.
"I probably worked harder than everybody else did," he said.
His mother agreed. She said that when he'd fly to California for visits with his mother, she said he'd bring suitcases filled with books.
"He's so motivated, and he makes me so proud," Fisher said.
An avid sportsman too, Liburd likes to swim, run, play volleyball, soccer and tennis. He's also an accomplished guitarist.
While his goal is to become a chief executive officer of a Fortune 500 company, he plans to put his skills and anticipated financial assets to good use in the style of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. That foundation was set up by Microsoft founder Bill Gates to help reduce inequities in the United States and around the world and foster education and health.
"I want to change people's lives for the better," Liburd said.
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