Olatide Omojaro enjoyed almost rock star status at Georgia Perimeter’s STEM Study Center on Decatur Campus.

Every student who filed into the lab gave him a friendly nod, smile or even a high five. Omojaro was the No. 1 “go-to guy” for students needing help with science, technology, engineering and math. And, he will be missed.

A student himself, Omojaro is among more than 2,000 others who will graduate Friday, May 8, from Georgia Perimeter College—and not surprisingly, he’s doing so with honors.

“I’m proud of him,” says Ugo Chukwu Ossai, a 30-year-old computer science major who received tutoring from the 22-year-old Omojaro. “Not only is he academically proficient, he has a strong character and unshakeable morals and is extremely humble.”

Dr. Cynthia Lester, executive director of Georgia Perimeter STEM programs, hired Omojaro as lead tutor with complete faith in his ability to manage the STEM center and serve students.

“When you’re tutoring, you have to understand what the student isn’t getting from the classroom,” says Omojaro. “When you find the roadblock, you’re able to help them.”

This semester, with assistance from Lester, Omojaro developed a software app that will be used by all STEM programs at the college.

“If my child grows up to be like him, I will be the proudest mom,” Lester says of Omojaro.

But, Omojaro is modest about how others perceive him and about his accomplishments. “My job is to study,” he says. “That’s my job. Whatever you do, you want to give it your all.”

Omojaro’s interest in robotics and artificial intelligence led to several national awards and paid internships while studying at Georgia Perimeter. In fact, he was the only two-year college student accepted into what’s called a Research Experiences for Undergraduates, or REU, program at Texas Tech University for two summers straight.

This summer Omojaro will participate in another REU at Florida Institute of Technology.

The drive to achieve, he says, comes from his deceased grandmother and uncles and mother still living in Nigeria.

“I see their hard work and how much they want me to be successful,” he says.

Omojaro emigrated from Nigeria to the United States four years ago to attend college. After establishing residency, he initially set his sights on attending Georgia Tech. Though he scored well on the SAT, his transfer grades weren’t strong enough. But Omojaro found an open door at Georgia Perimeter and has been on an accelerated path ever since.

He says he’ll miss the service learning, student organizations and caring professors, many who became like family. “He’s one of the best students I’ve ever had,” says literature professor Dr. Nicolette Rose.

Omojaro graduates from Georgia Perimeter with degrees in both computer science and engineering. So far, he’s been accepted to Syracuse University and Georgia Tech.

He is among 2,058 GPC students who will receive their associate degree diplomas during GPC’s spring 2015 commencement ceremonies.