Aspiring Judge Accepted into Princeton university - from Samoa to United States

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Lumepa-Rose Young made headlines last year when she topped the 2021 graduating class of Robert Louis Stevenson, and was named the school’s Valedictorian.

In an interview following her prize-giving,Young expressed that she is an aspiring judge, and the outstanding achiever is now one step closer to fulfilling that dream.

Young is 17 years of age and hails from the villages of Solosolo and Vaisala, Savaii. She is of Samoan and African American descent, and has spent the majority of her schooling years in Samoa.

This week the Young family celebrated yet another proud moment, as they received the news that she had been accepted into Princeton University; one of the most prestigious private universities in the United States.

Princeton University is part of a family of eight universities known as the Ivy Leagues. These universities dominate in the fields of Law, Medicine, Engineering and Business, and by nature are known to have the lowest acceptance rates in the world.

Young’s successful application is an extraordinary feat, and a testament to her hard work and determination.

She shared that Princeton had always been a goal of hers, and was her number one university choice. When she first started looking at universities to apply to, Princeton really stood out to her.

“The academics, the location, and the alumni are incredible. As I did my research I felt that a number of Princeton’s values aligned with mine - like community, collaboration, inclusivity and creativity.”

Young explained that she found out during Ivy Day, when all the Ivy League schools released their regular admissions decisions online.

She received an email notification on the 1st of April to go to her Princeton application portal, and it was there she was informed of the amazing news.

The young achiever plans to study pre-law at Princeton and major in Philosophy. Young had always been interested in law, and claimed that after an incredible internship with the justice department last year, she knew it was the field for her.

Her studies will be yet another stepping stone towards achieving her ideal career path of becoming a Supreme court judge.

Young stated that her parents have always supported her love of reading, writing, and community service. She added that they have always been very inspirational to her, and are why she wants to serve her community as a magistrate for the highest courts.

When asked what she looks forward to the most on her new journey she responded that she looks forward to living in the community at Princeton.

She shared “I believe this experience will help me grow as a person and be exposed to a variety of different perspectives that I can learn from and add my voice to.”

Young acknowledged that many people had helped her in her journey. She expressed “I would first and foremost like to thank my family, my parents Fred and Kelly Young, my little brother Ethan, and my grandparents, Lumepa and Pulepule Steve Young. In fact, my entire family has supported me throughout my school career so I have to give a big shout out to each and everyone.”

She also thanked the teachers and staff at Robert Louis Stevenson School, sharing that they were always there to help and support her through challenging her with tough assignments and giving her critical feedback to improve herself and her work.

She stated “Having people in my corner who were really rooting for me made the journey a little bit easier. I’ll forever be grateful for them.”