FERRIDAY — Former Ferriday linebacker Xavier Allen’s football career ended when he graduated high school last spring, but he has since been excelling off the field at LSU.

Allen was accepted into the Louisiana Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program at LSU.

“(LA-STEM) is a scholarship program at LSU that promotes diversity, leadership and community service in research,” Allen said.

Allen has only been on campus for one academic year, but he is already six credits shy of being a junior, he said.

“This is my first year on campus,” Allen said. “(The first year) was rough. It was a different environment. I like it now, but I had to get adjusted to class work and getting my work done. I had to start studying.”

Allen is double majoring in computer engineering and electrical engineering with a minor in digital media. He finished his first year on campus with a 3.3 GPA.

“Growing up I was always around technology a lot, and when I got to high school I started researching majors I wanted,” Allen said. “Then my senior year I worked as a computer technician with the Concordia Parish School Board Office.”

Allen said he went from school to school in the parish fixing computer issues.

Allen’s knack for technology research and excellent potential led him to be selected by LA-STEM founder Dr. Isiah Warner to attend the Fulbright Academy International Research Program’s “Intro to International Research Tour” in Jamaica.

“(LA-STEM) founder Dr. Warner is from Bunkie, and he knows who I am and that I am from a small town going to a big environment (like LSU),” Allen said. “He chose me and my roommate (Bilien Gomez) because he recognized our potential to do great things and he wanted to nurture (our potential) for us to use.”

The two will travel to Jamaica in mid-July and stay there for 10 days. Allen said the group will do research, mostly biology, but he is not sure exactly what they will be doing.

“I’m real excited,” Allen said. “It’s the first time I will ever be out of the country and doing any major traveling. I’m looking forward to the experience.”

Allen is also excited about working with international researchers, he said.

“(I’m looking forward to) just being (able to meet researchers from other countries), and interacting with people from different countries and see how are experiences are the same,” Allen said. “I can learn things from them and bring the back to America.”

Allen moved to Ferriday before his sophomore year of high school from Monroe, La. During his career at Ferriday, he used his summers to get ahead in his college courses, he said. He said he finished approximately 18 college credit hours before graduating as valedictorian for the Ferriday Class of 2010.

Allen started playing football in seventh grade but once he moved to Ferriday he had some back luck on the injury front.

“(Football) was pretty rough. I had injuries my sophomore and junior year. I played some special teams my sophomore year,” Allen said. “Senior year I made a good comeback, but it was too late (to get much college interest).”

Allen said he still enjoys coming back to Ferriday and talking to his old teammates and coaches. He said he wanted to play intramural basketball this year but he missed the registration. He plans on trying again next year.

Allen is the son Vicky and Gene Harris and the grandson of Leatrice and Bobby Allen.