Spelman College is closing out the Class of 2026 with a history-making achievement. 

For the first time in the college’s 144-year history, seven seniors will graduate as valedictorians, a record-breaking moment that is already being celebrated as a reflection of Spelman’s deep culture of academic excellence. The students — Alexis Sims, Nia-Sarai Perry, Cori’Anna White, Aiyana Ringo, Alyssa Richardson, Sophia Davis, and Mariama Diallo — all finished with perfect 4.0 grade point averages. 

The school says the group, which the Atlanta Journal-Constitution dubbed “The Spelman Seven,” spoke with the U ATL about the road to this achievement, their post-graduation plans and what it means to share the title with one another. In the college’s announcement, the women described the moment as one rooted in sisterhood as much as scholarship, with one student saying, “Spelman is like a Black girl Disneyland, where we can come and be ourselves and grow in our excellence and be leaders.”

Ringo said, “It’s very difficult to be valedictorian at Spelman and seeing seven Black women accomplish that shows our brilliance and our excellence. It makes it more powerful and shows how we can make history.” It is not only about individual achievement, but also about Black women reaching the summit together. 

The seven valedictorians represent a wide range of disciplines, from documentary filmmaking and biochemistry to philosophy and political science, and Spelman says they are headed toward careers as artists, lawyers, directors, and doctors. Their advice to younger Spelman students was simple and powerful: believe in yourself, be patient with yourself, challenge yourself, embrace every moment, and do not give up. 

For a college that has long been synonymous with Black women’s excellence, this year’s graduating class adds another bright chapter to the legacy. And with seven valedictorians sharing the honor, Spelman is proving once again that history (and excellence) can be made in sisterhood.