Colby David (’26) Accepted to Forensic Science Summer Program at Boston Leadership Institute

LSMSA student Colby David (’26), of Baton Rouge, has been invited to take part in a three-week forensic science summer program, June 23-July 11, offered by Boston Leadership Institute (BLI) at The Newman School in Boston, Mass. According to its website, BLI's program “provides high-achieving students with an opportunity to explore specialized topics in-depth and gain meaningful research experience in their chosen field.” BLI has hosted summer programs for high school students since 2011, and it welcomes over 2,000 students each year across a variety of disciplines. This will be David’s first visit to Boston.  

“We get to do mock experiments, like a mock autopsy, and we’re going to learn about cells in decomposition and blood spatter analysis,” David said. “The job I’m looking to do is called forensic pathology.”

David is currently enrolled in a forensic science-focused independent study with Dr. Temitope Fadipe at LSMSA. David learned of the summer forensics program at Boston Leadership Institute from his mother, who encouraged him to apply. Within three days of submitting his application, David was notified that he’d been accepted. He intends to present his summer research as a Graduation with Distinction project during Blue and Gold Week ’26.

“When Colby approached me for an Independent Study in Forensic Science, I was surprised,” Dr. Fadipe said. “But on conversing with Colby, I could sense his deep passion for forensic science. The excitement in his voice, and the way his face lit up every time we met to discuss the plan for the independent study, was striking.”

 

David said that forensic science has always intrigued him.

“When I was in seventh grade, I started listening to true crime podcasts and watching crime shows,” David said. “Solving mysteries was always really cool to me.”

“As a teacher, one of the ‘oaths’ dear to my heart is the commitment to provide impactful instructions to my students while mentoring them on their chosen path," Fadipe added. "I strongly believe that this very prestigious program at the Boston Leadership Institute will prepare Colby for a great career in forensic science.”

ABOUT LSMSA
LSMSA is a tuition-free, public high school for high-achieving sophomores, juniors, and seniors with a nominal room and board fee to cover housing, meals, and campus activities. The LSMSA Foundation offers assistance for families so that no eligible student is denied the school’s 42-year legacy of a college-level living/learning experience. For more information about LSMSA, or to apply for the Fall ‘25 academic school year, visit www.LSMSA.edu.