By: Jane Hakiyimana

Cole Patterson is an exceptional student, gifted both academically and musically. Graduating third in his class, he accepted a full ride scholarship to the University of Alabama.

“The scholarship came from my high school grades being high and a high ACT score,” Cole said. “After graduation, I’m taking a chill summer then I’m going to the University of Alabama to study mechanical engineering.”

Cole is graduating this year with high honors and is planning on majoring in mechanical engineering at UA, science is his passion and physics is something he enjoys, encouraging him to specialize in a field that has high value for physics beyond high school.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Cole’s hard work is apparent as he is graduating #4 in this year’s graduating class out of 495 students, his hard work and efforts he put into school all his high school years and even before helped him get to where he is at.

Cole auditioned virtually for the highly sought after Million Dollar Band at UA and will know if he made the team on May 1st.                 

“I’ve been in band for the past middle school and high school,” Cole said. “I also was a drum major for Abilene High so it’s just natural for me to audition for the band and I will know the results on May 1st.”

Cole also competed in Science UIL last month, where he was the only participant of the science UIL team to advance and move on to the regional competition.

“In science UIL for the district level test I got a 6th place overall,” Cole said.  “I got first place in the physics section so that allowed me to advance to regionals and at regionals I did about average.”

 For Cole applying to UA was basically destined seeing as to that’s the school his parents went to, adding the fact that Cole’s exceptional grades earned him a full ride scholarship to UA it was an easy decision to go there. He felt easily drawn to the school because it was the college his parents went to and they were extremely proud and excited that he decided to go to UA.

 “I chose the University of Alabama because one, it’s hard to say no to such a big scholarship and also both of my parents went to Alabama,” Cole said. “It was a big deal for them that I had such high considerations for it, and it’s just a nice campus and they have good academics, so it seemed like the right choice.”