Valley teen is the youngest student to ever graduate from UAA

Rainey Laine Spurlock is the youngest ever to graduate from the University of Alaska Anchorage at the age of 17 with an undergraduate degree in communications.

Rainey, a Valley resident with a short history packed full of academic and professional milestones, said she attributes her success to her adopting grandmother, Brenda Spurlock. And she’ll celebrate this next milestone by presenting the commencement speech at the UAA graduation ceremony.

“My work ethic comes from my grandma,” Rainey said. “She’s always taught me the value of hard work and studying and staying focused and how important it is to be educated. That’s a superpower, being educated.”

At the age of around 7, Rainey began child acting in California. She appeared on television shows like NCIS, Castle and on various Netflix shows. Rainey explained that once a child actor turns 11, however, it becomes more difficult to receive roles as the regulations regarding teenage actors are highly restrictive. One of the ways to navigate the regulations and continue acting without restrictions is by achieving enough credits to graduate high school.

With that in mind, Rainey and her grandmother moved back to the Valley to begin her homeschooling through Mat-Su Central. Once on her education journey, Rainey decided she would put acting behind her and work to pursue higher education.

“After doing it for two years, I was like, I didn’t want to stop now,” Rainey said. “I graduated high school when I was 15. So I was like, why stop now? Why wouldn’t we keep going?”

At the age of 13, she became dual enrolled in high school and UAA to begin her college accreditation. But regulations prevented anyone under the age of 16 from beginning classes from the college. As she had in her short life already, Rainey overcame another hurdle in her journey.

“There is one exception, if you are there with your guardian,” Rainey said. “My grandma, who adopted me, she went with me to every class in-person. And we’ve so far gone to every class together. It’s been a really, really cool experience.”

Rainey said it was her grandmother’s idea that she would attend college with her. The two have spent the last four years attending class together, most of them in person at both Mat-Su College and UAA.

Knowing that her undergraduate degree was coming to a close, Rainey began an accelerated master’s program in project management last fall. She is set to graduate by the time she is 18, and is already looking to start a law degree this fall.

And if receiving a high school diploma by the age of 15 and receiving her undergraduate at 17 wasn’t enough, Rainey has been travelling back and forth from Nashville as she begins her budding music career.

“There’s one thing I’ve always been incredibly passionate about, and that’s singing and making music,” Rainey said.

She will be releasing her debut single, Gemini, through Nashville-based recording studio, The Record Shop, and producer, Sean Giovanni.

“It’s been such a cool experience for me,” Laine said.

Perhaps as important as her classwork and recording schedule is keeping a personal life. Because, after all, she is still a teenager. Rainey said she keeps a few close friends to spend her free time with who also push and motivate her to be the best version of herself possible.

Rainey provided the commencement speech at UAA’s graduation. She was recommended to apply by one of her professors and eagerly signed up when the applications went live. She endured a rigorous application and interview process before receiving a congratulatory message earlier this month that she would be representing the graduating class on May 3.

“I was so excited,” Rainey said.

Rainey continues to pursue her education with the support of her grandmother. With so many career paths to follow, Rainey has a bright future ahead and a caring, supportive grandmother to help guide her along the way.

“She is an amazing person, she is so inspiring,” Rainey said. “She is the reason I am the way I am. She has a huge passion for education. She’s really taught me the value of being a lifelong learner… She’s the reason I’m able to do everything I’ve done.”