Richard Nonso (left) discusses routes to academic success with CUBE board member Samuel Ehikhuenmen. (CHERRY THERESANATHAN/The University of Windsor)
By John-Paul Bonadonna
A computer science graduate is likely one of the youngest that has ever crossed the stage at convocation.
Richard Nonso, 19, successfully completed the Honours Applied Computing program having started at the University of Windsor at just 15 years old.
“I had constant reassurance from my parents that I’ve tackled these kinds of challenges before,” said Nonso.
“I was confident I would succeed and ultimately that proved to be the case.”
Nonso has made a habit of being ahead of schedule, from starting school a year early to making the jump from primary to secondary years before his peers.
While in Grade 3, Nonso was set to see a close family member move to junior high school for Grade 7. Not wanting to be separated and with the approval of his parents, Nonso completed all necessary entrance exams to also make the move to Grade 7, to the surprise and delight of both his parents and school officials.
After graduating high school at just 14-years-old, Nonso’s parents encouraged him to study abroad, with options in the United Arab Emirates and Canada.
At the young age of 15, he began his studies at the University of Windsor in Winter of 2022.
“When I was in secondary school in Nigeria, I was actively studying social sciences like political science, literature and law,” said Nonso.
“But when I came here, I did a complete 360 and moved into a different field with computer science.
“Scared is the word I still use because it was such a drastic change.”
To further fast track his education, Nonso would take on full course loads during the summer semesters, often dreading the two-week break between semesters with little or nothing to do.
To stay busy and to fuel his entrepreneurial passions, Nonso became actively involved in several UWindsor entrepreneur business clubs.
“I loved the creative space and the opportunity,” said Nonso.
“When I think about my University of Windsor experience, this was something that was really great. I went from just attending and participating to helping organize their events and programs.”
Richard Nonso receives congratulations from President Rob Gordon and Chancellor Dwight Duncan at Convocation.
Nonso now works in product management at Quickplay Media, a media technology company in Toronto. He commutes back to Windsor on weekends to visit family and oversee a program he developed for high school students with entrepreneurial aspirations.
He will be starting the Master of Management of Innovation program at the University of Toronto in the fall, crediting the guidance and inspiration of UWindsor’s Sydney Thompson, Entrepreneurship Program Coordinator in the Office of Research & Innovation.
“People have great ideas but they often need to learn how to execute,” said Nonso.
“I want to inspire them and help turn their ideas into reality.”