Spelman College Announces Seven Valedictorians, Historic First

The Trailblazing Class of 2026 Valedictorians Spoke with the UATL on Sisterhood, Academic Excellence and the Futures They’re Building Beyond Spelman 

Spelman College recently announced a record seven valedictorians for the Class of 2026, a historic first for the College. Coined ‘The Spelman Seven’ by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Alexis Sims, Nia-Sarai Perry, Cori’Anna White, Aiyana Ringo, Alyssa Richardson, Sophia Davis and Mariama Diallo all finished with a perfect 4.0 grade point average.   

In an article written by the AJC’s UATL, the seven valedictorians, the students spoke with reporter Ernie Suggs about their post-graduation plans, their journey to the valedictorian title, and how it feels to share the title with six of their sisters.  

“Spelman is like a Black girl Disneyland, where we can come and be ourselves and grow in our excellence and be leaders,” said Alyssa Richardson, a biochemistry major from Washington, D.C. “To see that reflected in the valedictorians, and being distinguished with my sisters, it’s just amazing. I feel strengthened in it. It validates my experience.” 

In the interview, many of the students, who range in disciplines from documentary filmmaking and biochemistry to philosophy and political science, emphasized the hard work and dedication that went into the coveted valedictorian title.  

“It’s very difficult to be valedictorian at Spelman and seeing seven Black women accomplish that shows our brilliance and our excellence,” said Ringo, a sociology major from New Orleans. “It makes it more powerful and shows how we can make history.” 

Following graduation, the valedictorians will leave Spelman’s gates to become artists, lawyers, directors and doctors. Their parting advice to Spelman students echoed similar sentiments: believe in yourself, be patient with yourself, challenge yourself, embrace every moment, and most importantly, don’t give up.  

To read the full article, visit uatl.com.  
Photo courtesy of the Atlanta Journal and Constitution.